A while back, ‘Chicks with Attitude’ (two fiddles and a mini squeeze box) accepted an invitation to play music for an assisted living facility in our small city. Preparing the usual number of tunes, music for thirty to forty minutes, we learned upon arrival we were playing for a church service, and we would have time for only three songs. The man in charge said songs of any kind would do. We chose three tunes we thought the residents might know.
The gathering was called ‘Summerfest’ to honor fathers. Several folks were wheeled in, and others came on their own volition. As usual, most of the residents were women. I believe four elderly men wore ‘Dad’ pins in honor of Father’s Day.
‘Summerfest’ didn’t seem to fit the occasion somehow. One might think of lively bands, grilled knockwurst and free-flowing beer, but that’s not what was happening here. When the event got underway, to my great surprise, Sarah and Abraham were the centerpiece of a sermon entitled ‘Not Older but Better.’ Remember, the speaker was talking to a group of elders, so I guess those were encouraging words.
Getting older (not old), he explained, just gets you closer to your heavenly father waiting for you in heaven. The program began with the chaplain reiterating the story about Sarah and Abraham. The Bible says that Sarah was 90 and Abraham 100 when they had a baby (BV — before Viagra).
I wondered who would want to be taking care of a baby at that age when you probably couldn’t get out of bed to change a diaper — even if it was yours. I don’t know what the good chaplain was suggesting to these folks, but I thought most assisted care facilities and nursing homes disapproved of residents having sex. Perhaps, it was more that Sara and Abraham were older and that life was still really good or something along those lines. I may have missed the point; I was hung up on the ages of Mom and Pop.
We played music right after that ‘uplifting’ sermon. Although we wore straw hats and long dresses to pull off the ‘attitude’ part, anybody could tell we were old broads not chicks. I announced, “We dedicate our first song, ‘Makin’ Whoopee’ to Sarah and Abraham.” The other music makers giggled. I’m not sure the residents heard me, but the minister did and grinned. The attendees seemed to recognize the tune and clapped along. Summerfest for the elderly. Now you know.
