Tuesday, February 4, 1997

Dying at age 122

Years ago a friend of the family would now and then show up at the house more than a little drunk burned up over his mother-in law who lived at his house. He would take out a switch-blade knife and
say in a gangster tone of voice, "I'll kill her! But she won't die. She's TOO ROTTEN TO DIE! " 

Later, a little calmed down, he would say, "She'll be a pall bearer at my funeral!" "Nonna" was indeed around for a while. But just about everybody but our "guest" thought she was NICE.

Jeanne Calment finally died at age 122. She gave up cigarettes in 1995 ! Even that vile stuff couldn't deliver her to her Maker. She outlived her husband (which is the norm) but also her daughter and grandson. 

Jeanne, after a certain very impressive age was made a fuss over and said she was "never bored." 

But ordinary old people seem not just old but often broken hearted. In not a few cases of extreme old age the person has the "advantage" that there was never any "heart" there to break !

When I was sixteen years old a gypsy fortune teller at Rocky Point Park-of dear memory-told me that I would live to be 150 years old. ( Eat your heart out Jeanne Calment!) But that just cannot be. For I am a sentimental slob!

Jeanne Louise Calment; 21 February 1875 – 4 August 1997 was a French supercentenarian who had the longest confirmed human lifespan on record, living to the age of 122 years, 164 days.She lived in Arles, France.