Couldn't keep from smiling...

[74-911]

Wife had cataract surgery yesterday morning so I drove her in this morning for checkup. An older couple (were talking 80's) were getting out of their car as we pulled in beside them. The old man, (maybe 125# soaking wet and bandy legged) had on a t-shirt and cargo shorts held up by suspenders (else the short would have fallen off) white socks and black sandals. The heavy set wife had this huge cloth purse that could probably carry a cubic foot of cargo... they were quite the sight this neat old couple toddling off to the Dr.s office. However, I told wife, if I live to be that old please don't let me go out in public with white socks and black sandals... she said don't worry !!

As we walked by their car (an old Mercury Grand Marquis ) I noticed a Korean War veteran bumper sticker, wife pointed at the drivers side where there was a bright yellow "The Club" locked on the steering wheel... we both just smiled and kept walking. If you made a list of the cars least likely to be stolen, I suspect a 20 year old Mercury Grand Marquis would be near the top of the list. Definitely one of those made you smile moments..

For those of you not familiar with "The Club, heavily advertised years ago to stop car thefts and probably works ok... but as I recall could be defeated by hacksawing off a section of the steering wheel.

[rwest]

You make it to 80 and are a Veteran- you can wear whatever you want!

Neat story.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by rwest

You make it to 80 and are a Veteran- you can wear whatever you want!

Neat story.

Very true. He does not care what ANYONE thinks of his attire.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

I have a coworker (52 years old) that puts a club on the steering wheel of his Jeep Grand Cherokee. His hypothesis is that ne'er-do-wells will just move on to the next car.

[rfloz]

Originally Posted by 74-911

Wife had cataract surgery yesterday morning so I drove her in this morning for checkup. An older couple (were talking 80's) were getting out of their car as we pulled in beside them. The old man, (maybe 125# soaking wet and bandy legged) had on a t-shirt and cargo shorts held up by suspenders (else the short would have fallen off) white socks and black sandals. The heavy set wife had this huge cloth purse that could probably carry a cubic foot of cargo... they were quite the sight this neat old couple toddling off to the Dr.s office. However, I told wife, if I live to be that old please don't let me go out in public with white socks and black sandals... she said don't worry !!

You may be just the person to help solve a serious fashion issue.

Normally, my footwear consists of black loafers (non-tasseled). My son, a life-time subscriber to GQ, has advised me that socks should continue the line of the pants, i.e., black socks w/ black pants, blue socks w/ blue pants, etc., etc.. Easy enough, although I am having a hard time finding denim socks to match my jeans.

However, the real problem is what to wear sock-wise with my brown deck shoes. Just match the pants? Do they need to match whilst wearing shorts? Or is white sometimes appropriate? Standard length or anklets? Most perplexing.

BTW, while I am a veteran, I'm only 71 years old so I do still feel the need to appear dapper.

Thanks in advance or any advice.

[Noah930]

Cute story. If he's a Korean War vet, he's more likely in his 90s? He's more than earned the right to wear whatever he wants.

As an aside, I've recently started using the Club on my car once again. I originally bought it in grad school because the parking lot I used was adjacent to Juvey (Juvenile Hall). I figured if any kid was able to hop the wall and make a break for it, he might not boost my Clubbed car if there was another unprotected one next to it. Fast forward 20 years and my next door neighbor (whose daughter has a Civic like mine) had her airbags stolen one night while the car was parked directly in front of their house on the street. My Civic now gets parked in my driveway (FWIW) every night and wears the Club...'cause hers doesn't.

[74-911]

Originally Posted by rfloz

You may be just the person to help solve a serious fashion issue. ...... BTW, while I am a veteran, I'm only 71 years old so I do still feel the need to appear dapper.

Thanks in advance or any advice.

Actually I am also a veteran although I am only 69... please feel free to wear whatever footwear turns you on and the old vet has certainly earned the right to wear whatever he wants.... Personally I just don't care for the white crew socks with black sandals look... YMMV....

As I stated, they were a neat old couple off to their appointment and we just couldnt' keep from smiling watching them toddle off down the sidewalk..

[Don Ro]

Originally Posted by 74-911

I am also a veteran although I am only 69...

"...only..."
A well-placed word.
Me too, 69...and vet.
.
Good story.

[wdfifteen]

Cool story. I like it that you were able to see this couple as interesting and treat them with honor. So many old folks are dismissed as out of touch with reality and laughed at or pitied. We owe these folks a lot and can still learn from them.

[rfloz]

Originally Posted by 74-911

Actually I am also a veteran although I am only 69... please feel free to wear whatever footwear turns you on and the old vet has certainly earned the right to wear whatever he wants.... Personally I just don't care for the white crew socks with black sandals look... YMMV....

As I stated, they were a neat old couple off to their appointment and we just couldnt' keep from smiling watching them toddle off down the sidewalk..

My father-in-law is a 91 year-old WWII vet (he fought with the Romanian, German and Russian armies! All as a conscript.)

He wears whatever he wants to. He's a great old guy with his priorities straight: "I have family and what to eat. What else do I need?" May all vets find such peace.

[Baz]

Excellent thread.

You know I was just thinking the other day we should have a Vet thread (old soldiers - not fur kids). We got them for boobs, butts, music, doggies, pics, transportation, etc., etc.

Would that make sense?

[rfloz]

Originally Posted by Baz

Excellent thread.

You know I was just thinking the other day we should have a Vet thread (old soldiers - not fur kids).

Seconded.

[URY914]

I was pumping gas at a gas station a few years ago and the place was packed. There were cars waiting for a pump to open up. The car in front of me finishes and pulls out. Two guys were waiting for this spot but they couldn't see each other from where they were waiting. One of them gets to the pump first and the second guy yells out the window that he was waiting on the pump. I thought this isn't going to end well. The guy at the pump was an old guy, the guy yelling was a younger hot head. The old guy stands his ground and yells back. "I got here first and I'm a veteran." They young guy just said, "Ok then" and drove off.

Only time I've seen the vet card played and it worked.

[Moses]

On a 20 year old Grand Marquis it's more likely that someone would steal The Club.

[john70t]

The club is a lever for breaking the steering lock.

[rusnak]

One of the best Father's Day gifts that I ever gave to my dad was a steering colum lock that goes on his old crapbox El Camino. 1980s GM steering columns are notoriously easy to break and hotwire. This one is like a clamshell and is built like a tank. I drove for 6 hours to go get the last one in stock near El Dorado, CA. It helps him to rest easy and not worry about his car. I also put in automatic gates at their house. Mom sleeps better because of it. Gotta love old people.

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

So many old folks are dismissed as out of touch with reality and laughed at or pitied. We owe these folks a lot and can still learn from them.

Amen to that.

[bob deluke]

I'll be 69 this August, Nam vet. Went to a shoe store looking for new pair of sneakers. Saw a pair with Velcro straps and thought hmmm, no more bending over trying to tie sneaks. Great idea,no? Went home, told my wife about them, she said if I came home with them, she'd put me in a nursing home! Guess. I'll be bending over to tie my sneakers for awhile....sneakers, aren't they called running/cross trainers now?

[M.D. Holloway]

something wrong with cargo shorts with socks / sandals?

[J P Stein]

Originally Posted by Don Ro

"...only..."
A well-placed word.
Me too, 69...and vet.
.
Good story.

I flipped over to the 70s a couple days ago. Now an "elderly" vet and the fashion police follow me everywhere.......