The Old Man: Biographical Novel & Short Story Series

By Doug Booker

This is the Old Man’s story about his life - the important events, struggles, learnings and its significance. Herein is what he wishes for others to know as he closes in on 20 years shy of the century mark.
As it has turned out, this is kind of the Old Man and myself jointly telling his tale…..now and then!

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jun 15, 2015
• ISBN: 9781483556796

Book preview

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INTRODUCTION

This is the Old Man’s story about his life - the important events, struggles, learnings and its significance. Herein is what he wishes for others to know as he closes in on 20 years shy of the century mark. He’ll be 80 in December.

Writing the Old Man’s story was appealing to me as I was myself feeling a bit old and nostalgic - after recently reaching the ripe ol’ age of 60. Of course I am a mere child compared to the Old Man.

In recent years, the Old Man has become very important to me, as a friend, confidant and mentor. We have frequently discussed his life and pieces of the story you will find here. He put off the writing of this several times. For no apparent reason the day after my 60th, the Old Man committed, let’s get my book done, Book!

With significant health issues entering the picture and personal loss now dotting his life more and more frequently, he felt it to be the right time.

As we begin he tells me of his brainstorm to tie his book to one of his favorite movies and books, ‘The Old Man and the Sea’ by Hemingway. Being an old man himself now, he thought it would be cool to write his story with such obvious links (which you will see) to Hemingway’s story.

The ‘SEE’ in the title of the book he suggests, is about what he has SEEN in life. It is also about what he SEES now and wants to share as he nears completion of his story. ‘The Old Man and the SEE’ didn’t end up being the title as you see; copy write concerns, etc.

Let me also share with you that he was adamant about this not being too God-heavy! He feels strongly that although he is a Christian and Believer himself, he wanted anyone and everyone to be able to read, appreciate and gain from his life’s story. He and I collectively apologize if we failed in this regard; we are both sinners and are in no position to challenge or judge your beliefs. As you will see the Old Man had plenty of vices and flaws in his actions and behaviors – past and present.

I agreed to do what I could to capture his life’s journey to the best of my ability. The book is a compilation of pieces of his life currently as well as experiences from his past. There are indeed parts that I felt were unnecessary to mention (like what kind of juice he likes and dislikes). He was adamant about some of the funniest things being in his book, but it is his story.

‘Everyone seems to have an interesting story…’ the Old Man and I have visited and revisited this thought frequently. His life has spanned 79 years as we embark on this. For perspective, his time of birth included:

FDR’s landslide victory, our 32d President

The World Wars were in our midst

Jesse Owens was kicking Hitler’s butt in the Berlin Olympics

The first helicopter took flight

Postage stamps were .03 cents

The book (not the movie) ‘Gone with the Wind’ was published

The Midwest Dust Bowl phenomenon was ravaging the country

Babe Ruth began his professional career

…and the first beer was canned for sale!

Forgive me for where it may not flow or transition so well. His 1) stories, 2) current life happenings and 3) lessons to share make it a bit challenging how to capture him.

With health issues going on, we are just writing it throughout his days now as he is able, you’ll see. As it has turned out, this is kind of the Old Man and myself jointly telling his tale…..now and then!

1

LIFE AS IS

There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self.

Ernest Hemingway

That damned dream, again last night. Frustrating as always, but this time it included Franco. What in the world could this be about; why this dream, what’s the point? The Old Man was muttering this as he awoke.

The Old Man grinned a bit as his eyes opened (once again) this morning. He came to life wiping the sleep from his eyes, gradually realizing he had lived another day. He spoke a quick word of prayer, giving thanks. He was a man of faith, a believer in prayer despite plenty of past sins and vices.

He nearly simultaneously gagged erupting into one of his coughing fits. A few ‘gah dammits’ were shared with the nurse who happened to be doing her thing at this unfortunate time. In a minute or two the fit passed; the Old Man finally settling down catching his breath. Being sick and feeling bad made him mad.

Peace for the moment anyway; this was a part of his life now. Physically he was not really well, to say the least. He was an Old Man, all this is part of life’s seasons he would tell you. One of life’s last seasons he would emphasize.

As often happened these days, he found himself in a stare, a day-dreamy presence. He was looking at nothing in particular, the bathroom doorknob more or less. He was having a flashback, taking him back to the death of his father. He was visualizing his own father in his last few moments - what a sad time that was of course. In those last few hours, he was with his father watching him struggling to just exist. He could still see his father’s face as his breathing ceased upon his death. This was one of those deaths that some would refer to as ‘a good thing’. How true those words can be and at the same time how stupid they can sound! His Dad had suffered minimally really; he lingered and struggled for a few months. The time had come and now the Old Man’s father was ready.

This was not an image the Old Man liked to remember. In fact he hated that visualization, that image etched in his memory. A shell of a face, a shell of a man was left, his life and soul were gone where they go.

This ‘hatred’ at least somewhat stemmed from a lifelong hang-up of not wanting to see people’s bodies on display after death, at funerals, etc. The Old Man vehemently avoided this morbid tradition of viewing people - at the funeral home or anywhere else. He realized others didn’t think as he did about this. He was adamant about this and to anyone listening he made this known. He routinely shared a story that happened somewhere in his past regarding this obsession.

The story was about him attending a visitation with a friend. Somehow in the midst of mingling, he suddenly turned around to find this stranger’s corpse on display right behind him. He found himself staring at this body unavoidably just for a moment. The Old Man would tell you the surprise glance was enough to actually make him mad. He made his way to an exit and waited out in the cold until the friend showed up to depart.

Just a thing, but a big thing with the Old Man. After people die, we are in God’s hands. He didn’t want or need to see dead people; he would remember them in a better form – ALIVE!

The Old Man often thought and joked about how with the little bit of memory he still had, why couldn’t I just get rid of that piece (of memory)? He didn’t dwell on it but for sure had taken no pleasure in seeing his father’s face in death.

These days there were still times interspersed with the Old Man feeling well; things being normal and living back home as well. For now, he was not home; likely just another week or so in the hospital while he recovered and rehabbed. A minor surgery had been necessary but he expected to be back home soon, back to his normalcy. Amazingly, as bad as his health would get at times, he would come back just as strong and be back into life again. Every time it appeared he might be gone, he would bounce back big time.

He felt in his mind and in his bones he surely had not much time left before he moved onto ‘higher ground, ‘HIS Ground’ as he would put it. He did not dread the thought of joining his Dad (and Mom) who had passed away 17 years prior. They both had gone only months apart in the same year. It was one of those couple-passing’s we have all heard of - where one loses the desire to live after losing his/her spouse. Mom had gone first. The CHRISTmas that year was a bummer. (This is the Old Man’s way of writing Christmas, so I am expressing it as he wishes). This would be the first holiday without his parents for the first time in the Old Man’s life.

He was glad he hadn’t been