Octogenarians Needed

Awwww.

Here’s a heartwarming story about this waitress, Rose Donaghey, in the Bronx, New York. She’s from Ireland and is 88 years old.

She doesn’t need to work. She does it because she enjoys it. She also draws customers to this eatery with her charm and wit.

Wouldn’t it be nice if all of us didn’t have to be employed, but worked anyway just because we enjoyed it?

My dear sweet grandmother, Budgie, worked well into her eighties. A more charming woman than Budgie would be hard to find.

She worked part time as a tour guide at a Spanish mission in my little-bitty home town in Texas. Since this mission was in a state park, she wore this cute uniform consisting of a brown skirt and official-looking beige shirt; sort of like a park ranger or something.

Budgie was a staunch Southern Baptist. Whenever she’d give a tour, she’d point at the crucifix above and announce, “You can tell that’s a Catholic cross ‘cause it’s got a Jesus on it.”

She never used a computer in her life. She had a manual typewriter on her desk at work and I still have many of her type-written letters to me.

Here’s a pic of Budgie and me, taken about ten years ago. Isn’t she adorable?

My great-grandmother, “Big Mama” lived to be 98 years old. I can still remember arriving at her house when she was well into her eighties and finding her high on a ladder in a pear tree, spraying it with insecticide; a tank of it strapped over her shoulder.

I think one of the most unique octogenarians I’ve ever known is a woman named Lucy White. She was an avid member of the American Coaster Enthusiasts (so was I) and would often visit Six Flags Over Texas in Dallas where I used to live. Her grandchildren lived there, so we’d often meet up with Lucy to ride the biggest, baddest coasters.

She always had to sit in the very front seat, arms high in the air. The woman was amazing.

Here’s a pic of her at Six Flags Over Georgia, in the front seat of course. At 88 years old!
Women like these are incredible. They’ve held families together, been through good times and bad, and have acquired staggering amounts of wisdom along the way.

Whoever is elected president, he’d be very wise to fill his cabinet with the Roses, Budgies, Big Mamas and Lucys of this world.