Senior Addictions

                                   Seniors and 'Addictions'

We had just finished lunch and chatting about my 'Senior Blogs',  

"Y'know Ma,"said Debbie,"you like to write about senior citizens 

but you haven't written about this thing some of you have... and 

well, you 'd be familiar with..."

 "What 'thing'!"

"You know...your addiction... to...''

 " Addiction! Me? I am not a junkie! Not smoking, drinking, drugs...nothing!" 

I was angry.

"Ma! Wait. I don't  mean that kind..."

"Better not!"

"I mean other kinds of addictions, like the one you have for... y'know... crossword 

puzzles..."

"I like them...what's wrong with that!?"

"Nothing's wrong...really...It's just that you have do one or two every day...

and you'll do anything for a puzzle..."

"Anything? Even criminal behavior?"

Debbie shook her head, "No Ma! But anything short of that!"she added,

laughing.

"Really now, that's not funny," I said.

"Well, isn't it true that so much of the time that you spend is doing one or

looking for one... I've seen you approaching people you don't even know

asking them for the puzzle in their newspaper."

"They don't mind!" I said defensively.

"And you're working on one even when you're eating..."

I said nothing.

 "And...sleeping!"

"Not  true!" I protested.

"Well, but you do keep a puzzle next to you on the bed so in case you wake

 up during the night, you can work on it...right"?

It was true... but how did she know??

She rolled her eyes, " I saw ...when you stayed over ..."

I ignored her..." and not while showering," I continued,"or dressing...or

on the phone..."

"Uh uh,I see you doing one while you are on the phone..." she shook her head,

"and Ma, it's not nice..."

"But they don't know that I'm doing it!" 

"Oh, yes, you can tell when the person on the other end is distracted...not paying

attention..." and Ma, you even do it when your with us. If you're...what? bored

with the conversation you take out a puzzle..."

My phone rang, I was glad for the interruption, "I have to get this," I said to

Debbie, "It's my friend Linda. I'll just be a minute." Hi, Linda, how are  you?"

I let Linda do all the talking, I just muttered, "OK,...yes, 

"yes... fine... good... Thanks!"

I called  the waitress over,"We're ready for dessert, the chocolate pudding

with whipped cream..."

"And chocolate sprinkles on the top," we both added.

 " Mmm, good." said Debbie, "Now how about going shopping?" 

"Uh...no, I can't..." I said, pointing to my telephone. 

"You have to go?" asked Debbie. 

I didn't want to tell her why I was eagerly rushing over to meet Linda. Every 

Monday her Library had printouts of the New York Times's Sunday 

crossword and the daily ones; she always got them for me.

"Talk to you later" I said, leaning over to give her a quick kiss.

 As I drove to meet Linda I thought about our conversation, and that 

 word, 'addiction'. 

 I hated it! It  had and has such a bad connotation, bringing back 

images of men with long hair and sandals and a kind of blank look in the

eyes. But wasn't it only the long ago past generation that participated in it?

Hmm... not necessarily, some of  the present day were involved with it. 

I met Linda, she gave me the crossword puzzles and we spent a little time

 together,

As I headed home I pulled into the parking spot in front of my dry cleaner

to pickup my pants suit. On the counter was the daily local newspaper and

as usual I felt the pang of excitement, the crossword was in the back of the

paper, I knew exactly where, behind the comics page. I gave my receipt to

the woman, who turned and went through a door to the back of the store. 

I froze, it would take me only a few seconds to go through that newspaper,

find the puzzle and then tear it out. And who would miss it? The one who

the newspaper belonged to might not do them at all. But maybe he or she

or they read the comics page.

I looked at the door to the back room, she wasn't out yet, did I still have

time? But then the woman  came back with my clothes. I paid her, took

them and hurried out.

My mind was racing as I drove home. Was I actually considering it,

tearing out the puzzle page from someone else's newspaper? Was I nuts?

I had to call Debbie, but not on my cell phone while I was driving, to 

tell her that that word was awful but maybe not incorrect.  Still, there 

had to be another way to say it.

When I got home I heard the phone ringing as I put my key into the

lock, but it stopped just as I got in.That's okay, I have no time to talk 

to anyone right now I thought, as I pressed Debbie's number.

"Ah, glad you're home. I have to talk to you..."

"Ma, I just called you, to say that..."

"Honey, I thought again about that word you used... and maybe... you..."

"Ma, " she interrupted, " I really shouldn't have used it. How about...you 're 

'a creature of habit'.., or a such a fanatic...uh fan of puzzles...or a 'puzzle freak?"

" Hmm, no, none of them," I said.

" Hmm, or how about, she's  nuts about them..."

 "That's it!" I burst out, "I'm a  PUZZLE NUT !" 

"It's perfect." we both said, with applause. 

                                                       The End