Bypassed Again

I’m not offended that the Democrats overlooked me as a candidate to replace Joe Biden. I mean, aside from I’m 2 ½ years older than Joe, I’m still mostly sharp and my cornbread is pretty much cooked in the middle. I don’t hesitate all that much at the top of a staircase and I walk fairly vigorously, though more people pass me than used to.

My hearing aids are up to date and my knee replacement is still going strong after 19 years, even if the other knee is getting a bit balky. The chemo and radiation seem to have worked and I haven’t had a Mohs procedure in a couple of years. The prisms in my left glasses lens have fixed the double vision.

I’m still learning new stuff all the time and occasionally re-learning it. I’m able to drive to the supermarket and back and don’t always forget to get things.

I love long conversations even if sometimes I can’t remember the title of a movie or any of the actors in it and wonder what the name of that amazing violinist – or was it a pianist? – is. But that’s what the internet and Google are for, aren’t they?

I can recall many passwords, especially for things I no longer use, the names of grammar school classmates and teachers and many of the phone numbers of my youth, a useful skill in certain contexts. My skill at identifying car models remains intact as does my ability to recognize birds I see and hear, as well as being able to recite some of their Latin names, though seeing them clearly can be a challenge every now and again.

I surprise myself a lot when I watch the political news and put names together with faces for local, state and national people of note, to say nothing of international figures. I know the ins outs of all levels of government and am given to reciting them whether asked or not. And I can tell stories of all sorts frequently.

So no, I’m not offended. Just a little surprised that my name is not repeating across the chyrons or coming trippingly off the tongues of the pundits. Maybe it’s that I’m no longer given to wearing suits or that I eschew hairpieces. What’s wrong with the casual look, I ask? I proudly wear cargo shorts and sandals with peds, which I’m sure appeals as a “look” to a large contingent of voters. I shave roughly every other day, as do many of my many compatriots. My varicosities are a badge of honor in some circles.

Maybe I need better PR. Some might recommend a makeover. I’ll get right to it tomorrow, say mid-morning when I wake up.

Ed McDevitt
©July 2024