Classic Rant #1,134 (January 30, 2014): 58 Years and Counting

I have to wish a belated 58th anniversary to my parents.

I did not forget about them one on one, but I did not wish them the best in this column, so I think I better make amends and do it now.

Their actual anniversary was on January 22, eight days ago.

My family and I wished them "Happy Anniversary" then, bought them a gift, and we were all supposed to go out this past Saturday to a local Chinese restaurant, but the snow came, and wiped out that dinner date.

(The photo that accompanies this Rant is from my father's 80th birthday party a few years ago. My parents look the same, and my sister makes an appearance in the photo.)

Anyway, they were married way back in early 1956.

Back in 1956, the Dodgers were still in Brooklyn, gas cost maybe pennies per gallon, and the big TV duo were Lucy and Desi on "I Love Lucy."

Compare that with now. The Nets are in Brooklyn, gas costs several dollars per gallon, and the big TV duos are ... well, do "Mike and Molly" and "2 Broke Girls" count as TV shows or travesties?

I can't figure it out.

Anyway, the President was Eisenhower. Now we have Obama.

The Vice President was Nixon. Now we have Biden.

The minimum wage was probably $1 or so. Now the President wants it to be over $10.

Not good enough, say fast food workers, many without any education and some who can't speak English and are here in this country illegally.

But they are not color blind. They all know what "green" is.

My father was a Kosher butcher back then, now he drives a cab. My mom worked for a number of years, both before marriage and after, and now she manages the home, which is an extremely important job in itself.

Being born in April of 1957--yes, my parents were married over a year when I came along, a trend which many people pretty much ignore, being married before you have kids--I was actually conceived in 1956, and that makes it a special year all around.

And let's not forget my wife, who was actually born in 1956. She is a couple of months older than me, but she looks younger than me. That is the secret to a happy marriage--marry an older woman. My father did, as my mom is a few months older than he is.

Anyway, there you have it.

Happy belated anniversary to my parents, and I hope they have at least another 58 years together.

Heck, if it weren't for them, I would not be here.

Happy anniversary! Hallelujah!