Yo Ho, Yo Ho, an Invalid's Life for Me

It is time for me to admit it. I'm getting old.

First I noticed a stray gray hair or two around my temples. Then, there was the slight leaning forward when I looked across the room to read something. And the others simply assuming I'd be on the "old guys" team when we played a basketball game of old guys vs. young guys.

For a few years I've had what I call this minor back thing. It's MINOR, I tell you. Just a tad bit of soreness now and again. Okay, sure, so the minor soreness occasionally made it nearly impossible to get out of bed. But it's nothing, really.

Now I'm ready to give. "Uncle," I cry.

I have to work today, and since I played basketball Thursday night and hauled a garage-full load of beer bottles to the recycling place yesterday, I have some minor back soreness. I've been walking around the place doing my very best to pretend my body is acting normally. I'm walking as upright as possible, just hoping no one will notice I'm bent forward because I can't straighten my back all the way. I mask the grimace on my face due to a sudden jolt of pain by pretending it's a broad smile. I turn the groan of pain into an impromptu sea shanty: "Aaaargh ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me."

But it's time to give up. Life, you win. I'm getting old.

I'm also going to the drug store at the first opportunity to get some medicine for back pain.