We should all live to be a hundred

My trip to New York was the best, just too short. Lots of good social encounters with family and friends, not enough time to see good art (saw a lot of bad art!). The highlight of the visit was of course my aunt Marcella�s 100th birthday party. I saw her the day before, in case the party would not give me an opportunity to talk with her. She has some major short term memory loss and is wobbly on her feet, but other than that, she is still very much a spicy lady.

When people ask me the secret for my aunt�s longevity, I usually say: �Piss and vinegar.� She has no hesitation saying what is on her mind, whether it be pleasant or angry or critical. At one hundred years of age, she can still recall with vehemence how her mother preferred one of her older sisters and how terribly cruel that sister was to her. (That sister has been dead for at least twenty years, but that doesn�t seem to matter.) And my aunt Marcella was able to complain (repeatedly) that one of her nephews gave her a stingy (in her mind) present. (I would have been delighted if someone had sent me a box a popcorn for my one hundredth birthday, a delightful, thoughtful gift in my opinion, but not in Marcella�s; but in fact, it turns out, that nephew was sending a present every day until the actual day of her birthday, each present escalating in value, but Marcella would listen to no explanation. Just enjoyed her anger.) So it seems, expressing feelings, thoughts, emotions is not such a bad thing (expect for those who have to hear it�over and over and over).

The party to celebrate her one hundred years was perfect. We were told it would be for two hours; more than that would be too hard on her; she would space out from all the conversations around her. But, in fact, the party lasted for five hours and she was totally present every minute. It was exciting to be together as a family on such a pleasant occasion. I saw cousins I hadn�t seen in many (maybe ten, fifteen) years, since my dad�s death. There were about fifteen people there, not too many, just the right amount to be able to enjoy every one.

Marcella�s 90 year old cousin (my grandmother�s brother�s son) was there. He is a tall, elegant, slender man, at least a foot and a half taller than Marcella. Elliot needed to bend over to talk to his diminutive cousin. So Marcella warned him (vociferously): �Elliot: do me a favor! Don�t slouch! Stand up straight or you�ll get osteoporosis!� She never stops! An EverReady battery.

In the words of my aunt Marcella: �Everyone should live to be a hundred so they can have a party like this!�

Posted by leya at March 9, 2005 12:52 PM