"I was starting to get sick of the Geezers."

At least that is what I thought he said. That the geezers where getting to him. Which I thought was a bit odd because while I saw that there were senior citizens about, it didn't seem like there were a lot of them - certainly not enough to annoy anyone. Then again, they could have been causing a serious crowd scene at the toilets but I wasn't there, so I didn't know for sure but I was perplexed by his attitude towards the elderly.

He was last person on earth I would have expected this from, he seems like such a pleasant young man. In fact, I could easily imagine him dropping everything to help an old person cross the road - not lose patience with them. Good lord, what is up with that?

I mean really, is this guy not aware that there are three others present that are over the age of 50 - the oldest being age 62? Why, I'm 45 - there are a few of us well into our 40's. We may be technically "middle aged" now but all of us are careening toward our senior years whether we like it or not. Who is this kid anyway? Like he was going to stay 21 for the rest of his life. Alas, the arrogance of youth.

 

What is he complaining about geezers for anyway? I thought I did good on the trails today for a middle aged broad, and I like to think that I took the most challenging hikes available. I did pass an older couple along the way too but they were very friendly, perhaps I was fortunate in that I ran into the right geezers? Who knows? I decide that it would be better to wait until he had rested up a bit and ask about it then, I was very curious to know what happened.

Was there something I should be concerned about? My parents are now in their early 70's - I wouldn't want them going around inadvertently harshing the mellows of young people now would I? I'll ask if he witnessed any behavioral patterns that these older people displayed but the more I thought of it, the less sense it made. My parents have always have been annoying - how could aging possibily make them worse? There had to be more to this than met the eye - an AARP sit-in that I was unaware of?

 

Now, I have to remind myself that this kid is from the United Kingdom - England to be exact. Maybe he ran into a bunch of prickly old codgers who went off about the royals, or made rude comments about bangers and mash, or cracked jokes about the overabundance of 'Keep Left' signs on British roadways, or something! Whatever it was, it must of been really irksome.

And on such a beautiful day too! You couldn't have paid for better weather. Nice and sunny with temperatures in the mid-70's. We all hopped off the bus twenty minutes before Old Faithful blew her top with plenty of great places to sit and set up for pictures. Afterward, we hit the trails surrounding the area and what a pleasure. This was my first time ever visiting Yellowstone National Park, I've been wanting to come here since I was a child and now here I was! And did it ever live up to the hype. I hope every US citizen gets the chance to see Old Faithful for real - it is THAT special.

 

Right, so we had just finished with the Upper Basin and were waiting on the bus outside of Biscuit Basin when another of our travel mates, an English woman in her mid-30's started in about being "geezered out."

 

Now, this is just getting too weird - okay, I need to know what this is about and now!

 

Just before I opened my mouth - it dawned on me.

D'oh!

 

They're not talking about GEEZERS - as in 'old people'.

 

They're talking about the GEYSERS! - as in hot sulfury gassy bubbly steamy smelly volcanic geysers

 

They just pronounce the word GEYSER - GEEZER!

 

Now I get it! 

 

They're sick of all the geysers! Which I could totally relate to - because there were like - a one hundred and fifty million of them! So yeah, I was "geezered out" myself.

 

Duh!

Well okay then...

Never mind.