Welcome to the Mud Room, a joint commentary series of Grumble Strip, Vermont, and the Dooryard.

A couple months ago, I ran a commentary called Poppy Old Man by Mark Eststrin. In this commentary he talks about becoming increasingly

invisible to the people around him as he gets older. It is an unvarnished and rather dark perspective on aging.

Today a response to that commentary

and a somewhat different perspective on getting older.

Here's Larry Massett and Mary Ann Ross of Washington, D.C.

It was really incensed that he was putting out this image of old people, poppy old people but the more I thought

about it the more I realized you know that he was somewhat right but I know Mark Estrin so you know I know what he has

accomplished in his life and you know he may be an old man but he's not a poppy old man.

I find that for some time that people, or younger people have been calling me, sir.

I find that very disconcerting. I wouldn't mind that, you're just concerning.

I wouldn't mind that, you know, being treated decently, but being ignored is another story.

Like writing the metro and someone would offer me a seat and I would say

Ah and I would never mind I can I can manage and friends of mine said don't do that

somebody offers you a seat take it not because you need it necessarily but because

you it's an education for the other people in the car they should see that you know someone is being

polite so now I don't do that anymore I now take a seat

and you know play my part I think I might be turning into a poopy old man.

Lately, people have been parking in front of my mailbox, which you just did incidentally.

And I really don't like that because then I don't get

mail they won't the guy will not get out of the truck and walk over to the mailbox

well I did pay attention to that this morning and I realized that it was empty so that you had probably gotten your mail.

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