old men

i am in asheville, currently, staying at the grove park inn.  if you haven't been here, check it out - the views are incredible, as is the giant fireplace in the main lobby which could easily hold a buffalo.  a big buffalo.  it's a sizable fireplace, to say the least.



i'm working from a rocking chair facing the mountains this morning and thinking back to conversations i had last night during a convention cocktail hour.  by far, the most memorable is that which i held with an older gentleman...i'd put him at around 90 years of age.  he's retired from his career days, but maintains his professional relationships and enjoys sharing what he's learned through the years with the young guns (few of us as there are) who attend the annual conventions.

boy, did i underestimate the wisdom and experience that comes in the form of an old man.  i also underestimated the amount of joy that can be found in the late stages of life.

he spoke to me of his professional days only briefly, focusing more on his close-knit relationships with colleagues-become-friends.  he then brought me on a tour of his professional and personal travels.  the dude has traveled all over the world, and he did it right.  did you know that australia has a huge population of camels?  they even export them.  do you know what a "two-tooth" is?  apparently it's an old sheep with only two teeth remaining...at which point they're sliced, diced, and made into a stew (which is easily confused to be made with beef, or so i hear).

the biggest chuckle i shared with him in our conversation resulted from his sharing with me a story about his travels in scotland (a land i also love).  apparently he decided to rent a car, learn to drive on the "wrong" side of the road, and head out to discover what lies off the unbeaten path.  he ended up in a ramshackle bar, the only facility for tens of miles surrounded by acres of mystery farmland.  he wound up here completely lost - the roads here were unmarked (apparently the farmers don't take kindly to strangers, so they pull the signs off of the road to dissuade them from driving further) and he was looking for a beer and some directions.  the man at the counter, upon hearing his request, said something to the effect of, "hey laddy, where you comin' from?"  my new friend asked the bartender, "how do you know i'm not from around here?"  the bartender replied, "because you talk funny, laddy." (he has a thick southern accent) to which my new friend quickly replied, "have you listened to yourself!?"  he quickly made a new friend at this random country bar, and was invited to partake in two-tooth soup at a farmer's home.  this story took place over 30 years ago.  he still remembers.  and his memory of it is still entertaining enough to make me chuckle and wish i'd been there.

this man is someone who will stick with me, whose stories i will (and have just) tell again.  he doesn't take himself seriously and acknowledges how priviledged his life has been in his ability to travel.  he made me think.

it's so easy to go on trips and bypass opportunities for fantastic local experiences.  why visit a country if you'll only be experiencing the americanized version of their culture?  the general attractions are often general attractions for a reason, but the impact of heavy tourism takes away from the innate awesomeness of those places.

i want to travel the unbeaten path.  i want to bump elbows and share dinner with the locals.  i want to feel their culture.  i want to be 90 years old with stories like this guy.  i want to appreciate my priviledged life.  and i don't want to take myself too seriously.