I was at a CalOptima health fair on Saturday, going from vendor table to vendor table, asking about health stuff, yucking it up with the ladies, and hoping for some free swag, because that’s the kind of thing I live for these days.

At about the 9th table, the discussion turned to Alzheimer’s. I wanted to know how one might know if one has it, or if someone else has it. Apparently, if you are cognizant enough to think you have it, you probably don’t.

I learned a bit more about the disease from the expert. The table was staffed with three people – one adult of my vintage, and two very young women that looked like they were 15. (They were both undergrads in their last year of college. I guess everyone under 30 looks like a child to me anymore.)

The very nice adult person at the table tossed out this interesting factoid: “50% of people over 85 have Alzheimer’s.”

Yikes!!

Being the insufferable astrologist that I am, I said, “That’s about one Uranus orbit of 84 years, do you think that has anything to do with it?”

She looked at me and said, “I don’t know, I’m not an astronomer.”

grrrrr.

I knew better than to start lecturing them on the difference between astronomy and astrology, so I instead turned to the youngins, and said, “What grade school do you attend,” and then back at the old person, and asked her, “Where are you taking the kids after the event, Chuck E. Cheese?”

The kids started giggling, the Alzheimer’s expert looked at me with that disapproving “don’t quit your day job” face, and so I knew it was probably time to move on.

“Well, I have to leave, my limo is double-parked.”

►Ed