While standing in line today behind an older couple at Panda Express, I heard the woman say something to another man who was sitting at the counter, apparently waiting for his food. I don't make a habit of consciously eavesdropping on people, but apparently my subconscious does, because my mind suddenly registered him saying something about 1912, and, as any self respecting history buff would do, I started listening. I couldn't hear everything he was saying, but I did hear "100 next August." As I put together these words with his pale, crumpled-tissue-paper skin, and his voice that was pitched an octave or two higher than normal (ever noticed how the whole male puberty voice change tends to start working backwards when men pass a certain age?) I realized that this man was nearly a centenarian. He mentioned working construction at USU. I couldn't imagine! This man has lived through the Great Depression, both World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, the Berlin Wall, the Cold War, Apollo 13...all of these things that we learn about in history class that, for most of my generation, have become nothing more than obscure names, dates, and places we are made to memorize in history classes.
Before I could start mentally waxing eloquent about the importance of the past, however, I saw the woman's husband lean forward and ask "What is the secret to your longevity?" (p.s. this is one reason I love the past. Who says "longevity" anymore?). The man didn't hesitate at all.
His instant answer?
That's right. "Mountain Dew," he replied. "I've drunk two cans a day for the past thirty years."
I'm not a fan of the stuff for anything other than High School Chemistry "Sewer Lice" experiments, but one or two of my friends will be very glad to hear this.
So next time you start feeling guilty about giving in to the urge to eat out, just remind yourself that you could be opening yourself up to priceless pearls of advice.
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