An After Christmas Conversation Between Seven Old Dudes

MJM and I gave PS a ride home last night after everyone else had left for their respective abodes. PS had taken the light rail from his new place in downtown Denver (not to far from Union Station) as he did not want to risk drinking & driving after spending the day in Lakewood eating and drinking.

MJM had not had anything to drink the entire day, so it was he who took the driver's seat (I'd had a few samples from a few of the liquid gifts I'd received, so I was just going along for the ride).

Had yet to visit the new apartment - PS had been living in the 'burbs like the rest of us, but after breaking up with the girlfriend, decided downtown was where he wanted to live.

His new place was pretty nice - it's on the third floor of a 3 story walk-up, and is probably at least 100 years old. It has been remodeled inside, complete with new HVAC and plumbing. He gave us the .25 cent tour when we dropped us off, and after another drink (me, not MJM), we said our goodbyes and MJM & I headed back to the manor house.

Except we didn't quite make it a non-stop trip back. About 3 seconds into the return trip MJM remarked that he wouldn't mind stopping someplace to get a beer, and I replied that the only place I could think of that might be open would be the R.

So we drove over to the R, and it was open.

There were 5 people there, including the bartender. HH was sitting at a table with Bob K. and somebody I sort of recognized but didn't really know, and another Bob was sitting at the bar just three feet away from their table.

Blonde L was working and she had MJM a Coors Light (in an ice cold mug, of course) and me a tall J & C almost quicker than we placed our order.

MJM and I exchanged holiday greetings with everyone in the bar, including the guy I didn't really know who turned out to be Dale, a fairly decent guy and one helluva pool player.

HH stated they'd been talking about bucket lists' when we walked in and asked if if either MJM or I had ever made an actual bucket list, or at least considered what we'd put on a bucket list if we were to ever make one.

Both of us looked over at the table the 3 were at and MJM went first, saying that he hadn't ever made a bucket list, but that he wouldn't have much to put on one other than a few places on the planet he'd like to visit that he hadn't had a chance too.

Me, I laughed a little and replied that yeah, I've made a few different bucket list, and that I usually make a new one or revise an old one every year, usually in the first few weeks of the new year.

HH then asked what I had on my current bucket list that had been on any of the other bucket list I had made in the past, and I blurted out "hike the Appalachian Trail" without a second of hesitation.

I just as quickly added, "but seeing as how my knees are now at war with the rest of my body, I think my window of opportunity for that has closed."

Which opened up a whopper of a conversation that revolved around pursuing dreams, taking risks, pushing limits, refusing to give up, etc., etc., for about the next 45 minutes to an hour, and even sucked in the 3 other people who came into the bar during that time.

Which led me to the conclusion that sharing items that are on a bucket list and then following that up with a stated belief that the items may not be achievable is just not something I should do. 

Ever again.