Last Laugh?

I’ve never been a big fan of doing things backwards. Sure I procrastinate from time to time and might even be guilty of pure stupidity every once in a while, but I like things in a certain order. You know, the cart before the horse.


Similarly, I’ve never been a fan of Kris Kross the teenage wrap duo from the early 90's popular for wearing their clothing backwards; so you can imagine my surprise when I saw an 80 year old man walking through Costco with his polo shirt on backwards. I was running a few errands the day after Thanksgiving and noticed the old guy being led by the hand through the crowds by an equally elderly woman. Presumably his wife, but what do I know? If the roles were reversed and it was me, stooped and half out of my mind, I like to think Linda would at least mention the shirt thing. “Oh that’s just terrific Christian,” she might say, “You’ve gone and put your shirt on backwards - again!” Or at least, “Hey Bozo, you might want to look in the mirror before we leave.” I like to imagine 40 years from now she’ll at least give me that much.

I wondered if maybe this guy was a complete jerk to his wife through 62 years of marriage and this was her passive aggressive way of paying him back. She might say something like, “Your elevator might not make it past the 2nd floor anymore, Honey, but I’ll be damned if you won’t look like a complete idiot every time we go out in public.”

I really have no idea but as this wizened old couple passed I swear I caught the tiniest of smirks on the old guys face, a sort of last laugh perhaps?

Be good to those you love.