My father in law is 83 years old. We enjoy a relationship that is more like father and son than friends, always has been. He scolds, I pout, we fight and we make up….. Always over a beer.
Early on in our relationship, over beers, of course, he introduced me to esoteric thinking and reading material. It was a completely new genre for me, a different way of thinking and seeing the world – The old man has a very different view of things and how he articulates them.
I joined him in the business about 16 or 17 years ago and I remember asking him what we made on the sale of a particular product. His reply was: “depends what time of the month it is.”
I was puzzled.
“You see” he continued, “Until we reach breakeven we don’t make a cent on any product.” It didn’t answer my question, but it made me realise that, with this man, my requests for information would need to be way more specific.
Anyway, I digress…..
He has long since retired, but we meet often to… well… have a beer, or three. One such evening, after a long hot day, we were sitting with our second sparkling, deep straw coloured refreshment before us. I watched as the condensation collected and dribbled down, soaking the thick paper coaster that my glass was perched upon. A question, a sensitive question, which I had wanted to ask him came to mind. I dived – or is that dove – right in.
“Boss Man…” my nickname for him, one that has since been adopted by one of my own son in laws for me… bugger, I digress again… “Boss Man” I said, “It is true, that, at 83, there are not many summers left to enjoy, how do you feel about your pending demise?” He didn’t answer immediately, his eyes flitted from mine to the almost full glass before him. He picked it up and took a lengthy sip before slowly replacing it on the table, precisely as it was before.
Once again his eyes caught mine, he rested his arms on the table in front of him, leaned forward in a conspiratorial manner and said, “I am excited.” I sat up in surprise, I had been expecting something, well, unexpected, but, quite frankly, not even I would have guessed that reply. He continued, “I am excited to see what is next, what the next part of the journey is. Surely these last 83 years cannot be all it is.” As he often does, he left me with more questions than answers, but then he has always wanted me to work out the answers for myself, rather than him just give them to me.
I think that when one gets to the point where they have lived more than they still have to live, the question of their own mortality comes to mind. In a way, his reply has brought a peace to me when I am contemplating the cold reality …. And I know the Old Bugger had exactly that in mind when he answered my question.
