There Ain't No Justice!

Robert A. Heinlein, by way of his character Lazarus Long, introduced us to this infallible law of the universe. Lazarus often bemoaned that "there ain't no justice" as a sort-of extension of Murphy's Law. Where as the eponymous Mr. Murphy observed that "What Can Go Wrong Will." Lazarus Long observed that if something can be misconstrued or misunderstood, it will.

In the novel Methuselah'a Children Lazarus is a member of the Howard Families, a group of people who, through a selective breeding program, have been able to naturally extend their life expectancy into the hundreds of years. The illustration of the fact that there ain't no justice in this case is that, although their unusually long life expectancy is entirely natural and that their youthful external appearance is a factor of their genetics and some minor cosmetic application of readily available prophylactic surgery, the world believes that they possess some secret fountain of youth that they refuse to reveal.

In my case, the application of the principle is applied slightly differently.

I had been of the understanding that AARP (the American Association of Retired Persons) is for Retired People! It is for Old People! How the HECK did they get my address.I still have no intention of admitting to being old. And I am a long way from retirement. I'm not (despite what my nieces and nephews might tell you) OLD! But seeing my name on an AARP mailing, gee - that does make me feel old!

But wait! Perhaps there is justice! Who the hell is this Donald J. Bergquist, Sr. Person? Do I have progeny of which I was previously unaware? Maybe the entire mailing was a mistake. Maybe the old guy is some different Donald J. Bergquist. Maybe this letter was intended for Donald J. Bergquist, Sr. (...whoever that is)! Yeah! I'm going with that. It may be self-deluding, but it makes me happy!

Wherever you are today, I hope you find something that makes you happy!

Don Bergquist - October 31, 2011 - Lakewood, Colorado, USA