A Celebration

I crashed a party yesterday evening.  A good friend, in from California for about 48 hours to celebrate his mom's birthday, asked if we could get together for a visit.  When we realized that the tight schedule wouldn't allow even a quick visit apart from the several planned birthday events, I asked if I could join in for the birthday celebration.  I know his mom and some of her friends, so it wasn't stretching things to far.  And what a party.  The gathering of four elderly ladies and my friend was a very special time.  The oldest member of the party was 101 and going strong - - totally alert, engaged in the party.  At a couple of points when asked how she was doing she said she was fine and was listening.  As always when surrounded by people much older than myself, I felt, at age 59, like a kid again, entertaining the grown ups with stories intended to generate big laughs.  We dined on cocktails and pizza - - very exceptionally good pizza - - the favorite food of the 90 year old birthday girl, who mentioned that no one had ever crashed one of her parties - - I was the first to do so.  We engaged in 'who do you know' and discovered that we have many friends in common.  The 101 year old guest grew up in a rural Virginia town and knew well a man I'd met through a work project.  Another guest turned out to be the mother of another acquaintance.  And another guest talked of her late husband and her memory of him and me serving on a church committee many years ago.  More than three hours flew by and eventually the 101 year old had to call it a night.  She set off in her very spiffy walker with gears and brakes (like a racing bike) to head back to assisted living - - 'a long walk away' according to the birthday girl.  It was a very special way to spend time with my friend.  I think he and I both felt much younger by the end of the evening.