Stories from the Stringam Family Ranches of Southern Alberta

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



Thursday, May 24, 2018

Gazebo Geezer

And yes, he built one of his own.
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 aneurysm.
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.
Both parts.
Because you never know when some old lady will want to sing along . . .

[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 dads and nimble old cads
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.

10 comments:

  1. Distance myself? I suspect I would happily sell tickets to the show.

    ReplyDelete
  2. OMG! Your husband and mine are so much alike, Hilarious. Must tweet.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hahaha...oh this gave me such a good laugh! I would be the person singing along with your husband!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Now as far as musicals go, my first choice would have to be Paint Your Wagon, followed by The Music Man. Sound of Music would come in at a close third. I'm sure that Grant can sing better than I so if we were all walking together, Grant would be the one-man show. But I would be there with the camera....

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hilarious. I was singing along--with the original words as I love the song, until I saw your husband's. Yes I'd listen and watch. Brilliant.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh I had to sing that.....great job. I'd probably join him in the gazebo and caterwaul along with him.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Run? Nope, I'd be with Elephant's Child, selling tickets and getting a front-row seat!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Now, we want to see the video. Video! Video!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love "The Sound of Music" too, but hate the gazebo scene and mute it every time while I go and make coffee or something. It just makes me cringe for some reason.

    ReplyDelete
  10. The Sound of Music is one of my favorites as well. I love his rendition and sang right along.

    ReplyDelete

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