Idaho is No Country for Old Men

You may not think much about retirement, but trust me, you’ll get there a lot faster than you can imagine.  The clock tends to speed up as you grow older.  Events from 30 years ago seem like they were just yesterday.

I was reminded of getting older last week when a letter arrived in the mail.  It was addressed to me by name and didn’t have the look of a mass mailing.  The return address was from Burley.  It didn’t look like a business offer.  I was eager to open the envelope.  After all, who sends personal messages any longer by the U.S. Postal Service?

Oh, what a letdown!  It was an offer for discounted hearing aids.  I shared the story with a friend, who told me the closer I get to 65, the more of these mailings I’ll see.

But how do they know?  Is there a clearing house telling these businesses I’m getting close?  Is someone getting access to voting and DMV records?  Did someone sell my name from an existing list with whom I’ve done business?  My money is on that last one.

I’ve had some health issues over the last year, but none that would be considered unusual for my age cohort.  Otherwise, I feel fine.  I certainly don’t feel old.  I like my job.  If I can keep doing it for many more years I’ll gladly keep showing up.  My hearing is fine.  Maybe the keenest of my senses.  If I had an interest in hearing aids, I would come looking without someone wasting a stamp on me.  Two, I wouldn’t buy something through the mail.  One of my grandmothers told me a story about the Great Depression.  One of her brothers decided to mail-order glasses without a prescription.  They were useless!

Those of you of a certain generation remember an offer on the back cover of comic books.  You could send a few dollars in for a pair of x-ray glasses.  Let’s say my buddies and I got taken for easy marks.  I’ve been cautious ever since.

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