Club 90 gets fourth member

The final member of our nonagenarian quartet joins the ranks tomorrow, assuming… you know.

For the past six decades our government has been assuming and anticipating this person’s demise, though no one has ever clung to life as the man from Havana: Fidel Castro. You’ve got to hand it to the guy.

Of course I am no fan of Fidel’s politics. Few people in America are, though an annoying number of them seem to be. But the tenacity with which this man has hung on to power is impressive if nothing else. Yes, I know, he technically stepped down some number of years ago, handing off the reins of power to his brother—classic dictator move—but he’s got the kind of job that as long as you’re alive, you’re still doing it.

This is why Fidel Castro is perhaps the most appropriate of our 90th birthday watch. (See “Royal Birthday,” April 20, 2016.) These are prominent citizens, all born in 1926, who have been at their jobs waaaayyy longer than anyone ever thought they would. They include a queen, a libertine, a singer, and a dictator. Can you name them all?

Castro’s invitation to our club (and my favorite trivia question) comes as our relations with Cuba are thawing after decades of antagonism. Do I think this is a good thing? I suppose. Then again, I would have been comfortable with this occurring about 50 years ago. Eventually it became sort of silly, didn’t it? As American President after American President just assumed Castro would go away it became more and more difficult to be the guy who backed down. Well, Castro is now laughing at his 11th president, and a part of me hopes he hangs on to see his 12th. Actually, at this point who cares if Castro lives forever, right?

And for the guy who’s made it this far, it just might be possible.

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About moc

My name is Mike O'Connell. I am 41 years old and live in Northern Virginia. I am a teacher, a musician, and an enthusiast of all things American.

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