DEAR ABBY: When I read the items in your column about the definitions of "elderly," I had to share this:
About 12 years ago, my husband, "Jeff," and I, our two young children and all of Jeff's family gathered for a five-generation dinner. Jeff's great-grandfather, who was 97 years old at the time, was visiting for the first time since our children were born.
Also in attendance was his daughter, my husband's "Grandma Hazel," aged 72.
All of us women were in the kitchen preparing the dinner when I noticed that Grandma Hazel was drinking a soda. In the eight years that I'd known her, I had never seen her drink one. She drank a beer now and then -- but never a soda.
When I commented to Grandma Hazel that I had never seen her drink a soda in all the years I'd known her, I was floored by her reply. She leaned over and whispered, "I know. I had to put my beer into a soda can because Dad doesn't approve of my drinking!" -- YOUNG WHIPPERSNAPPER, ARLINGTON, TEXAS
DEAR WHIPPERSNAPPER: Regardless of age, we're all children in the eyes of our parents and we seek their approval. Evidently, Dad had never approved of Hazel's drinking habits. As the old expression goes, "To get along, you need to go along."