Rise Up to Save Her

If we are able to untie the damsel in distress tied to the railroad tracks in time, this period in American history will mark an explosion of courage, compassion, and citizenship.

We are boycotting big companies, buying out the Dollar Store’s inventory of poster board, collecting canned peas for the food bank, studying up on fascism, filming ICE agents trying to intimidate neighborhoods, and linking arms with people we didn’t know five minutes ago.

Alot of the people doing all these things are old folks. That’s another potentially joyous feature of this hellish time. We’re basically coming out of retirement to save the country. It beats lamenting about a crummy golf score over a too strong cocktail.

I think there is a vast, quiet army of old people watching what’s happening to the country and mulling over their next moves. Many are protecting themselves from danger, buttoning up their heaviest jackets, and hunkering down in ways big and little. They see the protests, hear about food drives, worry about free elections and maybe they want to get involved but they hang back.

I get it. It’s so comfortable being old and not responsible anymore. Being let off the hook.

But that chick is still tied to the railroad tracks. She’s screaming and yelling for help. The train is coming around the bend and just blew its horn because the conductor doesn’t think he can stop the train in time.

That’s our cue, friends. Old Americans – the millions of us across the country – this is our moment. Rise up to save her.

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Photo by Husqqqy on Unsplash