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OpinionBless the ëOld GeezersíDean Goebel in Rush City brought in a piece he read in ìThe Foxhole,î a military publication. He drew my attention to the ìOld Geezersî article. ìGeezer,î as many know, is slang for an old man. The kind of old man referred to in this piece is the one who holds his cap over his heart and sings the National Anthem at ball games without embarrassment. He knows the words and believes in them. The article goes on to say old geezers remember World Wars and the Depression, Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Normandy and Hitler as well as the Atomic age, the Korean War, the Cold War, the Jet Age and the moon landing, not to mention Vietnam. Thatís quite a collection of traumatic events to have preserved in oneís memory. Old geezers, the article says, apologize for bumping into you on the sidewalk, hold doors for others, and make sure the lady is on the inside when walking, for protection. Geezers donít appreciate all the violence and filth on TV and in the movies, it says. Foul language is even a bit of an issue. And they seldom brag unless itís about their grandkids. Geezers, it says, know that our country is protected, not by politicians or police, but by the young men and women serving in foreign lands, as many of them once did. They know the soldiers are doing the best job they can and look forward to coming home to loved ones. Geezers are nice folks to meet; Iíve met them around our communities. They may look a little rough at the edges, sometimes dressed in old plaid wool jackets and earflap hats, but itís those same caps that they will remove to honor the flag as it goes by. Geezers are good role models, if people would stop and take a lesson. They have manners, consideration for others, a sense of duty and loyalty, tough skin and tender hearts. Bless those old geezers everywhere. Theyíre mighty fine people to know. ©ECM Post Review |