T Campbell's Blog

Forgot to mention! Wednesday afternoon before the movie, I saunter next door with Daddy to pay a visit to Ethel Gibbs. Ethel is 100 years old, and she generally cranks the TV up to the max because she can't hear so well, so my doorbell-ringing goes unnoticed. But we go around to the side and she gets up to greet me as I come in. Her hug is surprisingly strong. She puts in her hearing aid and we talk for a while about my career, Washington D.C. and current events. Ethel shares some stories about my childhood which I have of course completely forgotten (they revolve around the fact that I used to pace around completely lost in thought-- something I still do on my way to the gym). She's slowing down here and there-- she doesn't cook much anymore-- but offers to prepare my favorite lunch next time I'm by. I tell her it's a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which she says is just perfect.

100 years.

"Hurry up and get famous!" she says. "I don't have long!" But it's a loud, cheery voice, the kind that laughs at death. We should all live so well.