02/17/2023
By Kate Stone Lombardi
I’ve been writing for AARP a lot lately and, if I do say so myself, I love their publications. That said, I often find myself shocked at who qualifies for senior. Mind you, membership starts at age 50, but that means folks like Rachel Maddow, Kristen Wiig and Jude Law, along with others I think of as “young,” are joining the ranks.
Anyhow, classic rockers like Bruce, Bob Dylan, all the Rolling Stones, the Who, etc. etc. have been eligible for AARP membership decades. Still, I was especially excited to read in another oldster publication (“Grand” for grandparents) that Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa became first-time grandparents last summer. At ages 73 and 69 respectively, they aren’t even young grandparents.
Evidently Patti told Bruce she does NOT want to be called “grandma,” by her granddaughter, Lily. Bruce, on the other hand, says his granddaughter can call him anything but “The Boss.”
Personally, I have no problem being called “grandma” but have now decided I’d prefer my own little granddaughter to start addressing me as “The Boss.”
I suspect this will not past muster with her parents.