affairs attended by men and women of all sexual bents, a coterie whose common bond is their willingness to permit others to live their lives as they see fit.

The eternal lover and gracious host, his past birthday showered him with dozens of expensive gifts from old friends. Many sent cards, each revealing the ability of one personality to impress many kinds of people, so that their joint memories should become treasured gifts.

"Don't depend entirely on sex" is his advice, "give something of the beauty of living, of friendship, of whatever common culture you have, or teaching and learning.'

A small store owner, Sparky has had little ambition beyond enjoying life, although along with this has come a hard-earned appreciation of the creators of art and culture, the writers, musicians, painters and sculptors. His main comment before anything acomplished by some one else— no matter if that achievement is a delicious pie or an original work of art -is the deeply-felt word of wonderment and sincerity, "Gosh!" Life is still a matter of exciting discovery.

"The Boss" is Sparky's longest lover and is nearly a dozen years his senior, now in his mid-eighties and a neighbor. Although physical potency has diminished, it is not wholly gone and there are times when its desire must and is met by physical contact with another, even if only in a passive way. To the questions so often put to the older man, "How long do you expect to keep going?" He laughs and states with an affirmative jab of the fingers, "When there's a will, there must be a way!"

A healthy mind is generally found in a healthy body, active even in senescence. One immediately thinks of Bernard Shaw, Mary Baker Eddy, Pius XII and other individuals besides Grandma Moses who have maintained extraordinary intellectual vigor into what is considered old age. Truly, these later years can be also the "Golden Years." From the point of sexual enjoyment, I am reminded of the flower grower in a colder climate, when he stated, "Our flowers may not blossom so often as some in another zone, but we treasure them when they do!"

DF

Talents, hobbies or interests have no age limits to the active mind and nimble fingers, and only physical weakness draws the reins. Age or retirement from work brings time and energy to cultivate and enjoy neglected interests.

The lonely youth will also be the lonely older person, while those with the ability to easily acquire new friends will not find that ability dulled even though death or removal changes friends or lovers. How could it be otherwise?

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