Elderly

Cradle to the grave 

Posted on by fantomwriter


With every passing day, we see ourselves and the people around us a little differently. Some good, some bad, and some indifferent. But we continue on our journey, through life, not always certain how it will turn out.


We owe it to ourselves to alter the path of our journey to ensure we keep smiling and stay happy. And with happiness on our side, we have a better chance of a happy ending. One we can take all the way to the grave.


From the cradle to the grave, our choices are not always our own. In our younger years we rely heavily on our parents, as they guide us through our childhood and into our teenage years. Even then our parents are there for us, if we want them or not. But they are there, because of the love they have for us, which is sometimes displayed in some very strange ways at times.

Then as the years continue to slide by and we enter our senior years, we then rely on our children to ensure we are safe and looked after as our health declines.

It truly is the circle of life. So within that circle, we need to embrace all we are given and take every opportunity live a full and happy life.


The real purpose of life is to be happy and we should do all we can, everyday to achieve that goal.

Credit where credit is due 

Posted on by fantomwriter


I’m the type of person who gives credit where credit is due. No matter what the situation. And this happened to be the case one morning as I was cycling back home from Sorrento to end off a 100 km cruise.
It was then I saw an elderly gent who must have been pushing 80, and the bike he was riding would have been close to the same vintage. But a great effort I thought the myself. 

The only problem with the entire scenario was that he was heading downhill towards me in the bike lane. Heading in the wrong direction at a decent speed. 


Not wanting to burst his bubble of riding on such a beautiful morning, I pulled aside and let him continue in his journey. Smiling and waving him past as he nodded in my direction. 

All I can hope for is that when I am old and senile and still cycling, the younger generation do the same for me.

Until I have most of my senses, I will ride on the right side of the road. Or at least what i think is the right side.

A change of musical tastes 

Posted on by fantomwriter


As I sat on the train heading home from the city, an elderly Asian gentleman sat down next to me for the remaining few stations of my trip.


The train was crowded with school aged children and adults heading home on the earlier train.

It was a little strange when he turned on the music on his iPhone and began listening to his cultural music.

Nice music I thought, but where are your headphones? They never made an appearance for the next few stations, so I enjoyed a musical taste of Asia.

I didn’t mind, but the school kids did give him a few strange looks. Hoping the remainder of his trip home was musically infused.

Are you listening?

Posted on by fantomwriter

During one of my train trips home, i settled back into a seat opposite an elderly couple, took out my iPhone and headphones and plugged in so I could listen to the sounds of the 80s once again and chill out after another long and frustrating day at the office.

Even though I had my music playing, it was on low enough to overhear the following  conversation between the elderly couple.

Wife: Hand me your phone.
Husband looks at her for a moment and hands phone over to his wife.

Wife plays on the phone for a few moments and then asks. Have you changed the password to the website?

Husband: Looking a little annoyed. No. I tried getting in and the password didn’t work so I tried to change it.

Wife: Shakes her head and sighs out loudly. So you changed it?

Husband: No. I tried and still couldn’t get in.

Wife: What did you change the password to?

Husband: Summer25

Wife: Now very agitated. So you changed it to Summer25?

Husband: No. I tried to change it but it failed.

Wife tries new password and it works.

Wife: You changed the password.

Husband: No. I tried to change the password.

Wife: The password is now Summer25

Husband: Looking a little confused. When did the password change?

Wife shakes her head and hands phone back.

Looks Can be Deceiving

Posted on by fantomwriter

The acrid smell of burning rubber filled the air as the sound of screeching tyres reverberated in my ears. Clouds of black and grey pungent smoke filled the surrounding area and gently floated skywards, blocking out the wonderful sunshine and the blue clear cloudless sky. Many bystanders and I watched in bewilderment and absolute amusement as the hotted up black Mustang left thick strips of rubber on the hot and soft asphalt as it moved swiftly into its un-allocated spot, a car spot which another vehicle was ready to move into from the other direction.

Not wanting to lose his car spot to another young lout, the young man stepped out of his small and compact car and casually sauntered over to the now idling mean machine. Not being able to see the occupant of the car because of its ultra dark tinted windows, the young man squared his shoulders, puffed his chest out and raised his chin. He gave his long jet-black and slightly oily hair a flick and subtly adjusted his sunglasses that were perched atop of his rather crooked nose. His muscular shoulders and huge biceps were clearly visible and fully pumped. He was now ready to approach the unknown menace in the car that had quite rudely taken his car spot, a car spot that he had patiently waited for while its previous owner had very slowly and rather precariously backed out of.

The loud rumbling noise ceased as the occupant of the Mustang switched the ignition off, the bonnet stopped shaking and the fumes from its twin exhaust system eventually stopped. The young man rapped on the driver’s side window and peered inside with a menacing look on his face, his fists clenched so tightly that they shook with rage. The door opened slightly and the young man took a few quick steps backwards and awaited his rival. Beads of sweat that had formed across his forehead were now dripping down his cheeks and over his nose.

With the car door fully open, the driver cautiously stepped out and stood up, the small elderly woman straightened up and gave the young man a charming smile. The now perplexed young man stared straight into the little woman’s eyes and held the stare for what seemed an eternity. He muttered a few words and no other choice, he quietly slunk back to his still idling car and took off in search of another car spot.

mustang