Heat Wave (Elliot)

It’s been very hot in Philadelphia lately. Dangerously so, which is bad news for the older buds. At times like these, I’m ambivalent about whether or not I should hold a Best Day Session in this heat. On one hand, the senior center has air conditioning, which makes it a safe haven on days like this. On the other hand, our older buds come from all over Philadelphia, and they don’t spend all their travel time in the A/C. This week, I’ve decided to give the older buds the week off for the 4th of July. I’m also working on an Independence Day post for this blog too. It might not come up right away, because I want to make it something really special.

Even in the better weather, we’ve had people coming in late or people who just can’t write that day. But no matter where you are or what you’re doing, I hope that Best Day will always give you, as our newest older bud Sadie says, “a spark to write.” That’s what we’re here for. 

Elliot Doomes 

11.16.2017 

One Summer Day 

It was a hot summer early evening and the living room door was open. And in walks this burly insurance man with a cigar hanging from his lips. He said to my sister-in-law, Doris “It sure is a hot day out there, Honey.”

And my brother jumped up from the couch he was sitting on and he was very angry. 

And he said, “What the hell did you just call her? Honey? You walk in my house 

without knocking, smoking your cigar, don’t even take off your hat indoors. Do you do that when you go to people’s houses on the Boulevard?” (And back in the day, the Boulevard was where you had all the semi-wealthy people; upper-middle class). 

“You put out your cigar at the door, and you knock before entering and you take off your hat once you’re inside.” And before the insurance man could respond, my brother had picked him up and threw him out of the door and he gave him a couple whacks too! And my brother was that strong because that was a big guy he threw out. My brother weighed about a hundred seventy-five and the insurance man was about two ten, two twenty. And my brother said, “The next time you come back here, you gonna get the same thing.”

The next month, we had a lady insurance person. No more insurance man. I’ve never seen that guy again. 

Happy 4th of July! Enjoy the Senior Selfie from our older bud Frances!

Curated by Caitlin Cieri