For years my family has observed one Thanksgiving tradition. We invite students who are stranded in town over the short break to eat with us on Thanksgiving day. That has pretty much guaranteed an annual rite that is often awkward and bizarre. This year's highlight came when a slightly ineb
(more)riated young man walked up to me on the back deck and without introduction looked me in the eye and said, "So Doc, you're pretty old. Have you done the whole mid-life crisis thing yet?
"Say what?"
"You know," he said, looking at me conspiratorially, "a midlife crisis."
"Midlife crisis, sure I have." I glanced around in hopes of finding some way of distracting him but to no avail. He was beaming at me.
"Wow, that is so cool! So what was it? Fast cars? Younger women? My uncle bought a Porsche but he had to sell it because he weighs 300 pounds and he had trouble getting in and out of it."
"Nah man, I'm not into any of that stuff. Trombone."
His smile faded. "What?"
"Trombone. I bought a trombone."
He was silent. I enjoyed the look of confusion on his face. "I don't know," he finally said, "I'm not sure that counts."
"Well have you ever heard me play the trombone?"
"No sir."
"Well it definitely constitutes some sort of crisis."
"Huh," was his only response before he stumbled off into the house in search of better conversation.
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