Saturday, October 13, 2012

Readers Goethe 100

Readers by the sea.

"It's been a bad year for vegetables," says the Belgian market gardener at the Farmers' Market this morning. "I've been reading 'Goet'," he says. "Have you heard of Goet?" I realise that he means Goethe, who doubtless had things to say about horticulture. "He makes me feel good," he says.

Pat  the retired  New Zealand dentist greets me outside his house. I ask after his health. "Not too bad," he says. And then as I move on adds "I'm 100 you know!" I do know, and I continue to be impressed whenever I see him whizzing past me on his mobility scooter. And now as he strides out of his front door to get some air I am even more impressed. As I said the other day as we get older we seem to attach importance to our age in the same way as small children do.

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