Surprise Party: Discovering Sally's real age

At the cemetery on Sunday, huddled under umbrellas and staring at Sally’s tombstone in the rain, Dad asked my brother and I, “How old would Mom have been today?”


“65,” I answered smugly. “I wrote about it in my blog last night.”

“Wrong,” Dad said.

“No! I’m right! 65!” I said.

“Wrong,” Dad said again.

“I counted! 2009 - 1943…” I said

“…is 66,” Dad finished.

“Shoot! I lied to everyone. I said she was 65.” I said.

“Well, mom was 2 ½ years older than me, and I’ll be 64 this year,” Dad said.

“You’re going to be 64?” I asked.

“Yup,” he said. “Like the Beatles song.”

“Dad,” I pretended to scold, “are you getting old?” I caught his eye and smiled.

“I hope not!” he laughed.

“‘Will ya still need me? Will ya still feed me? When I’m 64’.” I sang, off-key. Click the “Play” button below to hear the Beatles sing it!