The Appeal Of Older Men
- Posted by Essays Blog in Essays Blog |
- September 10th, 2008 |
- Comments
Piece mulling over what to talk about in my last blog, my husband had a persuasion I found irresistible! More joking than capital, he said, “Why don’t you talk about the desirability of older men, and call it ‘Who’s Your Daddy’?”
He never cerebration I would accept him seriously. Advantageously, as you can accompany, I did. By older, I am specifically talking about men past fifty. Yes, I have an eye for adolescent constellate puppets, cut and lean activity machines! But many of those to die for men look that artifact to attract other men. Although nice to ogle, it’s rather like pressing your nose against the candy fund pane. Drooling over the goodies is as far as you get.
The rugged manfulness I am talking about in older men I know about first hand. Employed in the shipping industry as long as I have, I know sailors. These are not Navy sailors, they are Merchant Mariners. They have exhausted a good part of their lives on commercial ships, sailing all over the class. Once they came ashore, they continued to activity with ships in a difference of roles.
Because of the requirements of my job, I have to jaunt occasionally. I have been to Singapore, Tokyo, Copenhagen, Barcelona and Norway. In all of these places, I have met sailors. I’ve talked to them, drank with them and been accepted by them. They’ve told me stories that have made me laugh until the crying ran. In fact, I’m writing an anthology called Hello, Sailor which will be released erstwhile in 2008. It is a collection of III novellas based upon the stories I’ve been told by my sailor friends.
These men are career mariners. They are alcoholic individuals, free propulsion, opinionated, evilly funny, and sexy. Most of all &ndash God bless them &ndash they LOVE women! You might be amazed to hear that they not only love women, they respect women. Of course they tell dirty jokes! They’re sailors after all. But whenever I have liberal with them, individually or in a group, I am activated with much courtesy it borders on gallantry. Not even my husband (don’t tell him I said this!) is as courteous and mannerly as they are.
They aren’t pretty boys. Far from it. They carry themselves with an aura of masculinity that can only be achieved with years of consciousness adequacy. Being a sailor is not an easy life. Hard activity and hard living appear on their faces, rugged character etched in every line. Perhaps they wouldn’t be considered classically handsome. They are nonetheless attractive in their manliness, maturity and individuality.
In our cohort oriented culture, it is a refreshing reminder to know that desirability doesn’t diminish as the birthday candles increase. Both men and women remain intersexual beings for as long as the fire burns inside. I have every intention of keeping my fire stoked for many more years. I believe my sailor friends feel the same artifact.
As a final note, the piece below eloquently summarizes how I feel about my life, and my writing.
In 1981, Lena Horne did a one Black Broadway appear called “Lena Horne &ndash The Lady and her Music.” In the appear, she referred to herself as a late bloomer. I find I am appreciating her comment more now than I ever have before.
Early in the appear, she sang her manner song “Stormy Weather”, much like she sang it in the movie. Late in the show’s 2nd half, she announced her next number by expression ‘’I had to grow into this song.’’
And so what does she do? She sings ‘’Stormy Weather’’ all over again. Only this time she sings it as if she had just grown into it, as if she had never sung it before. The words poured out of her, with a gospel fervor that covered her, and the audience, with condensation and crying.
I am growing into my song as Lena did hers, learning to sing it all over again, in a new artifact, with a new perspective. Who knew it could be this good!