What is Too Old

I have written an abundant number of posts about Jerry Garcia, but I just wanted to mention that today is his birthday and that if he didn’t die in 1995, that he would be 80 years old today.  In 2020, 25 years after Jerry died, he made it to the front cover of Rolling Stone magazine for the seventh time.  People are still celebrating Garcia’s legacy, as Jerry Day/Nights at the Ballpark will be taking place at Yankee Stadium (8/1) in New York and Fenway Park in Boston (8/9).  The July/August 2022 Issue of Relix magazine has him on the cover and it contains some newly discovered photos of him.  Jerry was in a bluegrass group called Old & In the Way along with Peter Rowan, Vassar Clements, David Grisman, and John Kahn.  They had a song with the same name which they recorded on their first album.  Many old people end up becoming a burden as ageing is not easy and that is why I write every day, so I keep from losing it as I get old.

Old and in the way, that’s what I heard them say
They used to heed the words he said, but that was yesterday
Gold will turn to gray and youth will fade away
They’ll never care about you, call you old and in the way

Once I hear tell, he was happy
He had his share of friends and good times
Now, those friends have all passed on
He don’t have a place called home
Looking back to a better day, feeling old and in the way

When just a boy, he left his home
Thought he’d have the world on a string
Now the years have come and gone
Through the streets he walks alone
Like the old dog gone astray, he’s just old and in the way

Written for FOWC with Fandango – Abundant.