65 Years Together

Russ, in his World War II Veterans ball cap and short sleeved plaid shirt tucked into his jeans, will be 89 next week. He was sitting in the massage chair next to mine. He comes to get a pedicure because he cannot really reach his toes to cut the nails anymore. He tries to get in at least once a month.

Russ has to wear “bedsocks” at night because he cannot fall asleep until his feet are warm since he “froze them in Germany”. He was captured at the Battle of the Bulge in WWII, so he “spent a cold winter there”.

I asked him how long he has been married and he said, “Someone asked me that not too long ago and I said, ’45 happy years’, and then my wife said, ‘Well, I guess 45 happy years out of 65 years is not too bad.”

“Congratulations! 65 years is a pretty big accomplishment anymore, Russ.”

Russ explained, “Young people these days do not realize that it is not 50/50. It has to be 60/40. You have to give 60% and take 40%, and she has to give 60% and take 40%. You cannot take more than you give.”