Back to School (Again)

It’s that time of year when kids are returning to school. This year, I’m one of them.

Our local university has a program where Older Americans (I can’t believe I prefer this term over Senior Citizen) can audit classes at no cost. Applying for this program was one of the first things I did after retiring. 

I can hear my high school friends laughing. After all, I was the master forger of parent signatures, had the most detentions, and barely graduated high school. I’m not proud of these things. As a matter of fact, the way I treated school growing up is one of my biggest regrets. I am doing my best to make up for it. (Same friends: “Would you let it go, Susan.”) 

The biggest relief upon entering the class was when I realized I was not the oldest person in the room. There are three other OAs who have been auditing classes since 2008. During one lecture, one of them raised his hand to say he went to school with Colin Powell. Another shared that his wife still receives royalty checks for the oil found on their family-owned property in Oklahoma once deemed “worthless” during the Trail of Tears. I admit I found these tidbits interesting, but I’m not sure I’d say the same for my fellow students.

The class is the History of the U.S. Presidency, so, of course, we often begin by talking about the current political landscape. Today we discussed the U.S. Secret Service, which put me in mind of my experiences working there for the Carter administration. I’m happy to report that I kept my big fat fish mouth shut.