Is this post too old for Valentines?

February 15, 2011 5:16 PM

People who have been married more than fifty years kissing.
posted by twoleftfeet (43 comments total)

SFW.
posted by mrgrimm at 5:18 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Needs more kissing.
posted by phunniemee at 5:20 PM on February 15, 2011 [4 favorites]

#6 is adorable.
posted by filthy light thief at 5:21 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

reminds me of When Harry Met Sally
posted by el chupa nibre at 5:22 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

D'awwwwww.
posted by zoetrope at 5:24 PM on February 15, 2011

The greatest injustice of all: getting old alone is a tragedy, growing old together a triumph.
posted by 2bucksplus at 5:32 PM on February 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

too many Russians...
posted by antgly at 5:33 PM on February 15, 2011

That was great, thanks.

It's weird how society prefers, generally, not to focus on the intimate lives of older people.

Me, I'll be wanting my guy forever.
posted by Short Attention Sp at 5:35 PM on February 15, 2011

This freaking awesome, thanks! The first one is my favorite though, it captures the emotion and intimacy of the couple in a tender way.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:36 PM on February 15, 2011

"Yevgeniy Kissin" (#4)... eponysterical!
posted by vidur at 5:40 PM on February 15, 2011

Thanks for the post Valentine's Day glow. My husband and I were joking last night about our 50th anniversary . . . it would be such a treat to get there with him. Also, these pictures are gorgeous.
posted by bearwife at 5:40 PM on February 15, 2011

To each other?
posted by punkfloyd at 5:43 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

Less tongue than I expected.
posted by BrotherCaine at 5:45 PM on February 15, 2011 [5 favorites]

It's weird how society prefers, generally, not to focus on the intimate lives of older people.

I met a woman named Ruth at the local Starbucks. She's 93 years old. We were talking, and the Starbuck's radio is playing in the background. She interrupts me to say, "that's John Coltrane, I've always liked him." I'm complimenting her on her mobility, (she was on her way to Radio Shack to get batteries for her cell phone,) and I caution her to be careful, not to take a fall, so she can keep her independence. I mention the dangers of bathroom falls, and ask her if she's got one of those chairs in her shower. She says that her son in law bought one for her, but she threw it out as soon as he left. "I'm a single woman," she says, "if I brought a man up there and he saw that, he'd think I was an old lady."
posted by StickyCarpet at 5:47 PM on February 15, 2011 [44 favorites]

Old people who can't get married kissing.
posted by OverlappingElvis at 5:52 PM on February 15, 2011 [23 favorites]

Oh, that is so sweet.

This morning I saw a very old couple, probably in their 80's or 90's, shuffling slowly along, talking to and smiling at each other, holding hands. I realised that I'm over my heartbreak when the pang I felt thinking "that'll never be me" was smothered by happiness for them. That was a lovely moment in my day.
posted by malibustacey9999 at 5:52 PM on February 15, 2011 [6 favorites]

I love old people in love more than just about anything in the world. Dancing, kissing, holding hands. It makes my heart happy.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 5:56 PM on February 15, 2011 [4 favorites]

50 years, and still affectionate. Nice Twice !
posted by lobstah at 6:14 PM on February 15, 2011

This reminds me a bit of a Woody Herman concert I went to when I was in my mid-20's. This was just a couple years before he died; he moved like an old man but you could tell he was still as sharp and vital and with-it as he ever was. His band was full of young cats, and they played the absolute shit out of a couple of their current, very hot, "modern big band" tunes.

Then the senior citizens started coming up to the bandstand and requesting his older Big Band Era hits from the 30's-50's. He and the band graciously complied, pulled out the "other" chart book and started playing the older music. I was disappointed because I was there to hear his more recent stuff, and kind of resented the Mouldy Figs co-opting my highly-anticipated event. But I must admit my girlfriend and I were enchanted watching the oldster couples glide around the dance floor, obviously having a grand old (no pun intended) time and reliving their younger days. So overall not the concert I went to see, but one I stayed and enjoyed nonetheless.
posted by Greg_Ace at 6:27 PM on February 15, 2011 [2 favorites]

They remind me an awful lot of my great grandparents, many of whom are old Jews living in Brooklyn. Makes me miss Grandma Sylvie and Grandpa Wienie.
posted by ChuraChura at 7:21 PM on February 15, 2011

My folks made it to 67 years, still holding hands and kissing. Mother passed on in September - and Father looks to be joining her soon.

Sigh.
posted by JB71 at 7:59 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

I want to see them fucking.
posted by uncanny hengeman at 8:06 PM on February 15, 2011 [3 favorites]

vidur: "Yevgeniy Kissin" (#4)... eponysterical

Apparently excessive virtuosity and piano playing can age a man well beyond his years...


Still, not to be the turd in the punch bowl (queue jessamyn "rageman" deletion) but with it having been an especially rough Valentine's Day this year, I'd like to see this same set of men and women who have been alone for 50 years or more, who never found love as the years slipped past, see the despair in their eyes and the unfathomable ache of an inconceivable span of loneliness.

It's easy to root for old happy couples still in love, to believe in the schmoopy, happy, hopeful possibilities of 'the future'. It's quite another to stare at the odd men and women left out of the picture after all these years. Where are there photo essays? Who remembers them?
posted by hincandenza at 8:28 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

GILF
posted by swift at 8:28 PM on February 15, 2011

hincandenza: "(queue jessamyn "rageman" deletion)"

Flagged for "queue" instead of "cue".
posted by Night_owl at 9:26 PM on February 15, 2011 [1 favorite]

It's quite another to stare at the odd men and women left out of the picture after all these years. Where are there photo essays? Who remembers them?

Well, there was an FPP about something of that sort.
posted by vidur at 9:37 PM on February 15, 2011

There is a photograph in my stairwell taken at my parents' 50th wedding anniversary dinner. My father is in a tux, bowtie loosened, a drink in his hand, eyes bright with laughter as he gets a kiss on the cheek.

From the waitress.

Next to him is seated my mother with a thin, brittle smile on her face as she white-knuckles the stem of a martini glass so hard you expect to see sand trickling from her fist.

It is a wonderful photograph.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 9:53 PM on February 15, 2011 [9 favorites]

hincandenza: "(queue jessamyn "rageman" deletion)"

Night_owl: Flagged for "queue" instead of "cue".

Aw, goddammit! In my defense, I was taking a break from working on a server management spec all day, and I guess once you've typed 'queue' one hundred times already...
posted by hincandenza at 11:36 PM on February 15, 2011

I'm going to add that phrase to my list of punishments I sometimes want to inflict on people. Boss treating you badly? Burn her at the stake! Jerk took your parking space? Key his car! Moderator won't help your pony? Queue her!
posted by iamkimiam at 11:40 PM on February 15, 2011

(Please note, I have no desire to inflict harm on anyone. Also, this post is adorable and I love it.)
posted by iamkimiam at 11:41 PM on February 15, 2011

Brooklyn is for lovers!
posted by billyfleetwood at 1:41 AM on February 16, 2011

For fuck's sake, hincandenza, can you find no joy in this?

I'm finally at peace with being single forever more. I'm going to be one of those "odd women left out of the picture after all those years". Do you want to do a photo essay on me and put it online? Would that make you feel better?

Here's a suggestion (and I will promise to follow it, if you agree to follow it too): if you can't say anything nice about a sweet, warm'n'fuzzy, schmoopy post, don't say anything at all.

Feel free to delete, mods, I just needed to vent.
posted by malibustacey9999 at 4:10 AM on February 16, 2011

That's sweet.

My parents were married for 55 years and I never once saw them kiss. Not once. True story.
posted by Decani at 4:50 AM on February 16, 2011

I liked this. Only 38 more years to go.
posted by arcticseal at 6:10 AM on February 16, 2011

Lemon party foreplay!
posted by markkraft at 7:03 AM on February 16, 2011

"I'm finally at peace with being single forever more. I'm going to be one of those "odd women left out of the picture after all those years". Do you want to do a photo essay on me and put it online?"

So, you're single, female, and wanna send me some of your your photos?! Cooool... I'm game!

So, uh... how'd you like to make out like an 80-year-old?!
posted by markkraft at 7:09 AM on February 16, 2011

My father always told me that as a young man, when he decided he was ready to find a girl and settle down, he picked the sweetest, prettiest girl in Philadelphia. They married three months later.

Good lord, how his heart was broken when she died after only 53 years together.....
posted by easily confused at 7:26 AM on February 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

"My father always told me that as a young man, when he decided he was ready to find a girl and settle down, he picked the sweetest, prettiest girl in Philadelphia. They married three months later."

What a coincidence... when my friend from Philly wanted to get laid for the first time, he picked the sweetest, prettiest girl in Philadelphia too!
posted by markkraft at 7:43 AM on February 16, 2011

I was raised by parents who were wonderful in so many ways, but never showed any kind of affection to each other or us kids (in the traditional sense.) I married the greatest girl on this planet - and I'll fight you to the death if you argue that point - and she has shown me what I also see in this.

I also have a WONDERFUL grandmother and grandfather (on different sides) who have worked so hard to do well by their families and that spirit makes me want to be a better person.

My parents do truly love each other, but what my wife and I have is so much beyond that. I want to look like one of these people in 40-ish years.

Thanks so much for posting this. My day is now better.

I think I'll go call my grandmother now...
posted by Clinging to the Wreckage at 8:26 AM on February 16, 2011

Old people who can't get married kissing.

Jeez, they're not kissing either!
posted by mrgrimm at 9:34 AM on February 16, 2011

SFW.

Beware, however, the love potion that is #9.
posted by kittyprecious at 10:41 AM on February 16, 2011

My grandparents were married 67 years and they were very affectionate. I saw a couple that HAD to be in their 80s walking down the street quite tenuously yesterday in front of my house, holding hands, moving at the speed of grass growing. That always kills me - they obviously still care so much about each other, you can see it in their body language.

Interestingly, there's plenty of science to back up the idea that couples who have been in love for decades have the same brain chemistry patterns as those who have recently fallen for each other thanks to the production of oxytocin and vasopressin. All you have to do is show one of them a photo of the other; that's enough to trigger the response.

I posted this myself on Valentine's Day elsewhere on the web and am glad to see this here, too.

Love cynics, whether you have given up on trying find the "one" for you (or not), it doesn't matter how long it takes or how many dates and bad relationships you weathered to get to that person. It's possible to stay in love until death once you do. I'm stating this mostly for the hundreds of AskMe posters who will inevitably show up throughout the year, asking if they should settle down with the wrong person because they're tired of waiting for the right one to show up and buy a house/have a baby/move to Mars together.

Don't do that, people; wait until your brain's exploding with health-boosting chemicals and believe me... you WILL know when it happens.

it's also okay to fall out of love - life isn't a Disney movie, and failure is the mother of success.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 10:50 AM on February 16, 2011 [2 favorites]

Old people who can't get married kissing.

I hate to be nitpicky about this, but they were married. That's where that photo comes from: Del and Phyllis's wedding.

Which is not meant to diminish the wrongness of same-sex couples not being allowed to legally marry, of course. But Phyllis and Del were married, and in fact were the first couple married when San Francisco started doing same-sex weddings in 2004 and the first couple re-married when weddings were permitted again in 2008. Sadly, Del died not long after the second wedding ceremony.
posted by Lexica at 1:39 PM on February 17, 2011 [3 favorites]