Are Old People Happy?

I decided that I would return to my old stomping grounds yesterday, and take my kids to breakfast/lunch at a restaurant that I was frequently brought to as a child; "Tom Jones" in Brookhaven, PA.

For the record, I had a breakfast of two eggs, two pancakes, two strips of bacon, two sausage patties, toast, a cup of coffee, and a juice of $3.79!!
The 1970's prices matched the 1970's decor...even down to the latch hook landscape that STILL adorns the wall!!
(Seriously....you cats need to chill with that.)

But, the cheap breakfast isn't why I'm telling you all of this today.
As I sat there taking in all the outdated tan paneling and orange vinyl seating, I noticed an elderly couple sitting across from me.

The gentleman had on a "Potsie Webber" type of sweater and an incredibly bad toupee. It was the kind that makes you wonder why anyone would even go to all the hassle, and ESPECIALLY at his age. This guy had to be pushing 90, and I can't imagine anyone would blame him for being bald at that point, but I guess a cat has to feel like he's still holding down no matter what the age, right?

I watched as their food arrived. Each began with a side order of coleslaw, and neither commented on whether they enjoyed it or not....they just methodically began eating it in silence.
This told me that I was watching a Sunday ritual of sorts.
Next, they were each brought a bowl of what appeared to be Beef Barley soup.
Again, there was no banter between them....they just sipped their soup in an almost robotic fashion.
What struck me, was the difficulty in which the woman raised the spoon to her mouth.
Her hand was trembling greatly, yet the man took no particular care to notice. Instead, he just continued at his own bowl in his slow, methodical fashion.
Obviously, this was part of their life now too.

I continued to watch them, and not once did I notice a single utterance of conversation.
They simply did what they seemingly always do, every Sunday of their lives, in Brookhaven, PA.

It was then that I began to wonder.
Are these people happy?
Was a witnessing an ultimate sense of contentment?
Or an incredible sense of defeat and acceptance thereof?

Were these people so in tune with one another, that they don't even need to speak anymore, or do they simply have nothing to say because it's either all been said now, or they simply don't enjoy each others company anymore?

And what of the latter?
What DOES one do, when they are coming into the home stretch of their time here, and they've outlived all of their friends?
Do you then just stay with the person you are with out of convenience even though you KNOW that you don't want to be with them anymore?

OR, do you truly reach a place where you don't need to speak anymore, because you have some sort of synergy with your partner?
A partnership so divine that you exist in an almost Utopian sense of bliss.

Does the woman think that he looks great in his "Potsie Webber" sweater, or is she sitting there thinking "WHEN is he gonna stop gluing that ridiculous piece of fur to the top of his head?"?

We all like to think it's the more pleasant of the choices, right?

When I see people of that age, I can't help but think of their history.
Who WERE they?
Were they the "cool" people on the scene back in their day?
Was she the hottest thing going, and did she ever imagine then that she would have a hard time raising a spoon to her mouth one day?
What kind of guy was he? Was he the type of cat that lit up a room when he walked in, because the party didn't start until HE arrived?
When they came together, were they THEE couple?

If the answers are "yes", is THAT what they sit and think about in silence as they sip their soup?
And is that distressing, or comforting as they look back?

Or, are they just enjoying their soup, and a creepy guy at the next table is thinking WAY too much about them.

I don't want to get that old.
And I'll NEVER wear a Potsie Webber sweater!!