Fact 1:  He’s not just young enough to be my son. He’s young enough to be my son if we had had a son when we had waited until our second childhood to have one.  He’s so young, his parents call me “sir.”

Fact 2:  I’ve been blessed.  Even though I’m 64, people didn’t (that’s past tense) think of me as old – because of my energy (and some not-so-kind friends say silliness).  Not any more, I’m afraid.

Fact 1 is a dynamic 24-year-old leader in our town whom I’ve met through friends and clients at a bank.  He’s such a comfortable individual, that when I’m around him, I actually feel more like 40.  (Not any younger than that.  After all, I’m not delusional.)

We were talking iPhones a couple of weeks ago, and he told me about this wonderful new app – Heytell.  You get your friends to download it, and it can work like a walkie talkie.  It’s vocal texting, and it’s free.  Push a button and say, “where are you.”  Your friend gets it immediately and can respond, “right behind you.”   On your phone, the names of the friends you Heytell are displayed on the app.  (This is a clue.)

When he introduced me to the app, Fact 1 sent me a message to show how it works.  It was great.  I saw many ways to use this.  My brother in Madisonville and I use it frequently to tell something quickly.  Others use it to track locations and whereabouts.  I couldn’t wait to show this to Brenda and get her “signed up.”  It would be an easier way to say, “When you come downstairs, please bring my book.”

The next morning over coffee and newspapers, I downloaded the app on her phone and sent her a message to get her started.  It was 6:45 a.m., so my message was something our granddaughter used to say to wake her up – “Nana awake?”

After a few minutes, I asked, “Aren’t you going to respond to see how it works?”  She said she hadn’t received a message.  It must not be working.

THEN, I got a beep on my phone, and Fact 1 Heytelled me.  “I don’t know who Nana is, but, yes, Bob, I’m awake.”  Brenda and I hurt ourselves laughing.  On the app’s list of names, his was right below Brenda’s, and I simply highlighted the wrong name.  As no surprise, he told everyone in the bank, which is fine by me, because I was going to tell them myself.

WAIT!!!!  I’m not finished. Because Brenda teaches nursing in Huntington, all our medical appointments are there.  I was looking at some upcoming exams, and Brenda had recommended which doctors she wanted me to see.  After visiting my family doc, I Heytelled Brenda to tell her which doctor was going to do my colonoscopy.  

You guessed it!  Fact 1 knew before Brenda.  He no longer thinks I’m young.  In fact, I think he was the one who put the yellow caution sticker on my car.