DOING THE MATH

in nearly 62 years, i've had:

5 dogs

9 cats

1 horse (briefly)

1 desert tortoise

3 parakeets

6 cars and trucks

3 motorcycles

0 aircraft (so far)

____ lovers, of whom 3 became life partners (serially, i.e.)

1 child, my son upon whom the sun rises and sets

1 grandchild, my son's son who is bathed in starlight and mist

37 homes in 9 states and 1 foreign country

7 traffic accidents, 2 of them on motorcycles

0 fistfights, though i'm trained in karate, boxing, fencing, and army hand-to-hand combat

10 long-term jobs, and nearly as many short-term jobs

3 university or college experiences, with 2 degrees

0 major surgeries, and 3 minor ones

too many broken bones, joint separations, lacerations, contusions and concussions to count

0 venereal diseases

1 hell of a wild ride