IT’S GOOD TO BE KING

There are a few advantages and perks that come along with the age I am now. Only a few of them have been handed to me due to my physical deterioration. Most are badges awarded for longevity, ability to survive and wisdom gleaned in the process. With each badge won and leaders fallen you advance up the hierarchy to positions of more power and authority.
Assuming you were granted the power early on you were master of your castle. It’s still in question whether I had such power back then or simply given figurehead status for public ceremonial use only. My ex-wife who went from wife to sister and my current wife and most trusted advisor (who also share the same name, just spelled differently) know the answer to that question but aren’t willing to tell me what it is.
In any event I have amassed and become defacto master of many houses over the years. My children defer to my judgment…sometimes (a giant step forward in many ways from the battles once fought when they were teenagers and I had a ready grave dug in the backyard to put them in if necessary.). They seek out my council (usually when they want an argument settled between themselves and their spouses or their kids.). The grandkids are still grappling with the position of authority I hold. At one moment they will approach me at the foot of my throne with sorrowful faces and water filed eyes and ask “Papa can I (enter request here)?” This is one of those moments when being legally deaf has a fun side because they assume I can’t hear anything at all. I look down at them with comforting eyes and ask “What did your parents say?” (Knowing full well what conversations have already transpired). Their gaze fails to meet my eyes any longer as the quietly say “They said no.” I always allow for a long dramatic pause before saying “Then I’m going to have to say no too then.”
This generally brings out the waterworks and the frustrated admonishment “…but YOU’RE THE PAPA!” as if I still had the power and authority to reverse their parents decision, send them to their room, give them a time-out or spank them (THAT thought is so twisted I won’t even store it in my “kinky” closet).
The very same child will on a different occasion sit down next to me and tell me when we’re babysitting them “My mommy and daddy let me do this, that and the other thing at home all the time.” Thinking I’m really as senile as I look and mightily surprised when that trick doesn’t work either. Children can’t win or lose with me it appears.
My influence reaches far beyond the confines of my castle these days as well. In the lifestyle I have chosen to live within my adult life I am considered an elder statesman, diplomat and respected authority of it which has allowed me to write countless articles (and one book in the works) about the subject along with speaking and lecturing on it over the years. I have been interviewed in print, radio and TV at local and national levels and even been called as a witness in courts in support of it yet I’m still just another face in the crowd.
My wife and I have been fortunate enough to be hosts every month for the past seven years of a meet and greet for like minded people who share that lifestyle with us. They are well attended events filled with people from all walks of life from doctors, lawyers, educators, members of the clergy, captains of finance and industry, UPS drivers, grocery clerks, artists, musicians, mechanics, realtors and every other imaginable occupation you can come up with and we are blessed to know them and have them in our lives.
We had one such event last night. Sort of a coming out party for me since my recent little setback, I was more nervous about this one than anything I’ve done in quite a while. I wasn’t sure how people might react. Many of them read my blogs and articles in other places so I knew a lot of them had been following my adventures of late and their possible reactions to my current circumstances were a bit uncertain. I have been a rather public face for a discreet group of people for a large part of my life now. Would this be too much for them to bear?
My concerns it would appear were unfounded. The place was packed with more people than have said they were going to be there. The sincere offers of support were overwhelming and truly appreciated. What made my heart swell were the genuine display of concern for my wife. After the pats on the back and the heartfelt statements I would move on and work the crowd as I have always done at this event. My wife would be pulled aside and asked questions that would always begin with “his blog is great but…” and would be followed by “What’s really going on with him?” It was the next question they would ask that made me proud to call all of these people my friends. That question would be asked directly to her… “How are YOU doing and holding up?”
I now know I will stand shoulder to shoulder with these people for the rest of my life. They don’t roll out red carpets for me; they don’t genuflect in front of me or anything like that. They simply show me an honest, sincere, deeply unwavering affection for me and mine.
I may not outwardly wear a crown or have an entourage around me but inside me I do. I can sit on my stool on nights like that and look around at the faces in front of me and think “It’s good to be King” without looking or sounding like a jerk doing it. I wear the badges inside me to prove I’ve earned it. If anyone’s really interested in seeing them I’ve been fitted with a zipper on my chest some years ago and will gladly show them to you.
In the meantime I move forward to my next challenge.