We are lucky to be living in a city with so many senior LGBT opportunities. An important one, the yearly Senior Resources Fair, will be May 21 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The LGBT Center. All are welcome.
There is no official age to becoming a senior; like it or not, sooner or later the title comes to us all. And how sneaky it is, creeping up and then suddenly jumping out and staking its claim. Dying and denial won’t help. It is better to be prepared and this is the place to do it. The auditorium will be filled with tables, booths and people with pamphlets, booklets and information covering a wide variety of topics. The serious, of course, will be well represented offering assistance with wills, trusts, legal issues, housing, health, veterans questions, Alzheimer and similar care facilities, hearing, heart, sight and mobility problems and yes, funerals – stop putting your head in the sand. You and your loved ones must make plans now before you get hit by a bus tomorrow. Hospital, accident and travel insurance companies will be there.
Changing the subject slightly, let’s not forget the fun side of senior life. Staff will eagerly tell you about the many hobby and music groups, yoga, exercise, sports teams, clubs and educational opportunities. Learn how, when and where to play canasta, see movies, run, hike, cycle and just plain gab with a coffee/conversation group.
All this with people who know who Roy and Gene are. Don’t sit and mope about the lack of social life for our community. Maybe in Keokuk, but not here. Come to the Fair. There is nothing to lose, but a heck of a lot to gain. Best of all, you can pick up a year’s supply of free ball pens.
True love
The intimate facts those seeking companionship or more give out in the world of Internet hook-ups is astounding. Unfortunately this includes seniors. Topics start with preferences of music, sports, hobbies and other innocuous subjects before slowly switching to the more personal.
In the heat of the moment common sense is ignored and exchanges include unspoken desires and physical attributes (often exaggerated, but that’s another topic). Then comes the exchange of photos, purportedly of their recent selves.
Recently I was forced to look at a few exchanges on a site or two. Not only were some of the pictures gross (to each his/her own) but an alarming number of people showed their face in them. All were viewable to employers, family, friends, co-workers and weirdos (a clinical term). It was not uncommon to see a phone number, address or meeting place announced. One proudly showed off his apartment and antiques. How stupid!
All this was brought to mind last week by an old friend’s tale of woe. He (73) and a Thai Adonis (24) had “fallen in love” via the web. True, it is flattering to receive such declarations, not to mention some heart-stopping photos, but when asked to provide a plane ticket to enable an actual rendezvous, one might be hesitant. But not my friend as he awaited a rapturous coupling.
After a joy filled handshake in the airport lobby, he returned from the men’s room in time to see his beloved, not alone, roaring off in a taxi. Silence met my suggestion of a kidnapping. Acknowledging many happy long distance romances, I maintain the higher one’s age the higher should be one’s level of suspicion or, more politely, caution.
