The Senior Center and the not-quite-senior Doug: is there a problem?

Recently a couple other bloggers mentioned their respective senior centers, so I thought I’d share the one in my own neighborhood I joined a month ago.

It’s exactly 0.6 miles from my apartment building.  There’s a couple residents in my building who are members and go almost daily, and ride the bus there.  They’re over 65, so PAT Transit is free for them.

I still have to pay, so I walk to save the $2.75 bus fare.  I don’t mind, I need the exercise anyway!

The center is a former Lutheran Church, run by three women—Courtney, Bridget, and my old friend & former coworker Elisa who I’ve known since the ‘80s.

Courtney is surprisingly young and can’t be a day over 30, but she’s pretty wonderful.  I felt like we were old friends after my first day there.  Bridget is 10 years older, with crinkly eyes and a wide smile.  So much kindness.   

As for Elisa, it’s a funny dynamic—we both used to work for the Department of Aging in the late 80’s thru the 1990s. I always considered us around the same age; I was born the last day of October, 1961.  Elisa was born the first week of February, 1964.  There’s only 2 years, 3 months age difference there.  But at the center I’m considered one of Allegheny County’s Aging (you’re required to be 60+ to join) and she works there.

At least Elisa doesn’t treat me like an older person—yesterday I walked up there just to have lunch and chat, and teased Geri (one of the other members) I was following her in the market a couple days prior and what was with all the bottled water in her cart?  Some of us like to drink water too, y’know.  Elisa said “Geri if you hold him down I’ll kick him.”  

The old Lutheran Church, now the Prime Time Activity Center

So from what I’ve seen, there’s around 4 women to every man.  The men tend to be a couple years younger and don’t socialize as much.  There’s one guy I like, but I think I blew it.  His name is Mike, he’s 5-6 years older than me and is probably a foot taller as well.  Seriously, he’s a lanky 6 1/2 feet tall.

After I’d gone there a couple times for lunch (sitting alone at a table in the back) he introduced himself one day.  Like me, he has no kids and never married.  But after we finished eating, he offered to take my tray back for me and I declined and I think it offended him. 

A couple days later on “Movie Day”, we all gathered to watch A Man Called Otto with Tom Hanks.  Mike sat beside me, but 15 minutes into the movie asked if I wanted to join him and a couple others in the exercise room for a board game and I said I was enjoying the film, no thanks. 

And then just yesterday, he approached me and asked if I wanted to join his Bible Study group.  Sorry, Mike I’m not interested.  Doggone it.

The center has 3-4 outings a month, shopping, museums and restaurants where you’re expected to pay your own way but the transportation there & back is provided.  In June it was the Heinz History Center, Bartram Bakery and the Three Rivers Casino. 

I didn’t go on the casino trip.  In July it’s the Dive Bar & Grille (a pretty upscale bar and restaurant) and lunch on the Gateway Clipper.  I’ve signed up for both.

The two most popular things at the center are Bingo on Monday & Friday, and an “Exercise Dance class” on Tuesdays & Thursdays.  That Bingo crowd is intense—they show up at noon, sit silently and wait until 12:30 when lunch is done.  IF YOU’RE NOT GOING TO PLAY, FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE CENTER TO GO.  Those players mean business!

There’s also Bible Study (cough), an Art Club, weekly meets with various reps to discuss the latest in Medicare and a nurse who does weekly blood pressure readings—followed by an “Ice Cream Social”.  Isn’t that quaint?  

Oh and there’s a weekly “Tech Tutoring” that I’ve never attended, I just roll my eyes at.  Meanwhile, at home I’m on Windows 7 and the rest of the world is on—I don’t know what the rest of the world is on, I’m stuck in the year 2011.

When I first signed up with the Center, I was told they served lunch 5 days a week.  There is officially no charge, but you’re invited to contribute $3.00.  You just have to give them 2 days notice as the exact number of lunches are ordered in advance.

I told them I wouldn’t be participating in the lunch program, I was only interested in the monthly outings.  They said that was no problem, but I soon found myself going to lunch there around twice a week.

Here’s the July lunch menu.

So a few days ago, I saw Teriyaki meatballs with scalloped potatoes and broccoli on the menu and called ahead as required.  When I went up for lunch and was standing in line, I told my friend Elisa I didn’t feel quite right.  She asked why, I said “Because I’m not poor, far from it.  I have a kitchen in my apartment full of food.”

She said “But here you’re with others and don’t have to eat alone.  That must get old.”  I said that was true, but at the same time…  I wasn’t REALLY an “old person” yet.

The woman setting out the trays smiled at me and said “Half the people in here don’t see themselves as old people either.”