Stories from the Stringam Family Ranches of Southern Alberta

From the 50s and 60s to today . . .



Thursday, August 30, 2012

Gazebo Geezer


Delores at The Feathered Nest supplied, for Photo Prompt Monday, this wonderfully peaceful picture of someone asleep in a gazebo.
Hmmm . . . gazebos


My Husby loves the movie, “The Sound of Music”.
In fact, if favourites were discussed, that title would probably be the first to come up.
Most particularly, he loves the gazebo scene.
And its accompanying song, “Sixteen Going on Seventeen”.
Really loves it.
To the point that, if ever a gazebo is sighted, he has to run inside and sing.
Badly.
Really badly.
Badly on purpose.
Just to embarrass his kids.
He's very, very good at it.
Inevitably, after he has run joyfully to the gazebo and danced around inside for a few minutes, singing at the top of his lungs, his children have disappeared.
Totally.
Completely.
You thought children could disappear quickly in a shopping mall?
That doesn't even come close to how quickly they can vanish when their father-figure is embarrassing them.
Suddenly they have, quite literally, ceased to exist.
And they only reappear some time later.
When anyone – anyone – who might have witnessed their father's performance has defected and/or suffered an aneurism.
As my Husby has aged, the suitability of the words of the famous song have . . . lessened.
With his usual creativity, he has managed to 'age' the words to suit.
I include them for your perusal:

[him]
You wait, old girl, on an empty stage
For fate to turn the light off
Your life, old girl, is a filled up page
About which you should not scoff.

Should not scoff.

You are sixty, going on seventy
Baby it's time to think
Better beware, be canny and careful
It's hard to be old, I think.

You are sixty, going on seventy
Old goats will get in line;
Eager old cads and nimble old dads
Will be wanting all of your time.

Totally unprepared are you
To face the world of time.
Timid and shy and scared are you
Of geritol and lime.

You need someone older and wiser
Telling you what to do!
I am seventy going on eighty -
I'll take care of you.

[her]
I am sixty going on seventy
I know that I'm naive
Old goats I meet may tell me I'm sweet
And willingly I believe.

I am sixty going on seventy
Beautiful as a rose
Widower dandies, wheelchair bandies
What do I want with those?

Totally unprepared am I
To take a man again.
Timid and shy and scared am I
Of geezers who call themselves men!

I need someone older and wiser
Telling me what to do.
You are seventy going on eighty,
I'll depend on you!

*  *  *

A word?
If you're walking with us out in public and a gazebo appears in the distance?
Distance yourself.

15 comments:

  1. This needs to be filmed and published! ABsolutely. YouTube hits would be amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh no......I want to hear this. Next time he breaks into song in a gazebo video tape him and put it on your blog. I can't wait to hear him in action. (ps....I sang the whole thing lol)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Too funny!! My husband thinks it's his mission in life to embarrass his kids; they must have gone to the same dad school!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Now I understand why the gazebo in Salzberg where this scene was filmed was locked up when we visited with a sign saying too many people have injured themselves leaping from bench to bench singing this song. That entry is no longer allowed :)
    I wondered about the kinds of folks who did this;)!!

    Totally love your husband's new version of the song

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, he'll be so disappointed! One of his 'Bucket List' is to dance and sing in that gazebo!

      Delete
  5. BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH *snort*

    Oh MAN I ache!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think it's your duty to old and young to film this sequence and post it as a cautionary tale ...

    Hilarious!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Too funny, I love it. I could see my two children running in the other direction quickly... lol

    ReplyDelete
  8. Diane, I've loved reading your blog since I discovered it! I'm nominating you for the Super Sweet Blogging Award for your super sweet blog and spirit! You can read about it here: http://auntieemsguide.wordpress.com/2012/09/03/super-sweet/
    Melinda (Auntie Em)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I've loved reading your blog since I discovered it! I'm nominating you for the Super Sweet Blogging Award for your super sweet blog and spirit! You can read about it here: http://auntieemsguide.wordpress.com/2012/09/03/super-sweet/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
      Thank you so much!!! I am absolutely thrilled!

      Delete

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