Marc Hoover
Last Saturday, I had my oil changed. A practice I maintain quarterly. I had brought a few books to read while I sat in the waiting area. My plan was to read my books and drink coffee. Other than myself, two elderly women also waited on their cars. Both were likely in their late 60s or early 70s.

They discussed politics, the military, diets, telemarketers and door-to-door salesman. I set my books downs and listened to their conversation. I will refer to them as Blanche and Dorothy. First, they started with Donald Trump.

“I love Donald Trump, he’s my man,” Blanche said, “I love how he speaks his mind without fear.”

Dorothy agreed. “Right, he’s a businessman who has made billions. He has built and sold companies. He’s a man you want running the country.”

Blanche and Dorothy then discussed how the government doesn’t take care of its military veterans. One of the ladies referred to the Vietnam veterans who returned with Posttraumatic stress disorder. Many abused drugs, committed suicide, homelessness, and alcoholism.

They also had the best take on diets. Blanche doesn’t eat anything unless it’s covered in salt and Dorothy eats whatever the good Lord provides. She doesn’t worry about calories or weight.

Dorothy found it ridiculous that people stop eating foods for a diet. She even made a comment about the skinny women who only eat salad. “How can they just eat salad and diet soda and not be hungry?” Dorothy asked. The topic then turned to sales pitches no one wants to hear. Whether it be a telemarketer or door-to-door salesperson, no one wants to listen a sales pitch.

Dorothy told Blanche about a recent telemarketing call. “I received a telephone call from a guy trying to sell me a roof,” Dorothy said.

“Yeah, isn’t that funny? Especially since you live in an apartment,” Blanche said.

Blanche then offered her own recent experience with a door-to-door salesperson. “I had a guy knock on my door trying to sell me something. He said a neighbor referred him to me,” said Blanche. She asked the salesperson for the name of the friendly neighbor. Apparently he “conveniently” forgot. Blanche told him to leave.

Somehow, Jesus Christ became a topic. I learned that Dorothy’s sister had the best plan for warding off salespeople—enlisting help from Jesus. If a telemarketer calls her sister, she only listens if she can first share biblical scriptures. Obviously the word Jesus is the magic word that can make a telemarketer hang up.

Yes, our senior citizens are life veterans. They have seen everything life has offered. I enjoy listening to them because they always have answers. I guess they support Donald Trump because he’s from the generation where people spoke their minds without worrying about political correctness.

Marc is a grandparent and longtime resident of Clermont County. Visit his author page at http://www.lifewithgrandpa.com and blog at www.wisegrandpa.com.