Blasting with Boyles
Opinion
As most of you read the October edition of the award-winning Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle, I will either have turned 80 or about to become 80 years of age. I can’t get over that, and neither can a lot of my associates, friends, in-laws, and outlaws.
For God’s sake how did I get to be 80? Years ago, I had heart surgery and when the surgeon and his team looked at my health history, I proudly proclaimed no one in my family dies of cancer. To which they retorted no one in your family lives long enough to get cancer.
The things that I’ve thought so much about these last couple of months, having had a couple of pretty major health scares myself, and now, of course, with grandchildren of my own, still with one foot in the radio business, being able to spend time with Chuck and Julie and Mark Smiley, I somewhat remain active. Back in the gym, looking forward to ski season, but for Christs’ sake, how can I be turning 80?
As I say in my prayers, “It’s me God, Peter Boyles, one of your favorite people.” How did I get to 80. And all of the people that I respected and loved and, in many cases, despised and hated are now gone. I can cite names of wonderful radio disc jockeys and talk show hosts, newspaper columnists, television news anchors the likes of Bob Palmer, Bob Martin, Alan Berg, Hal Moore, and Charlie Martin. Columnists like Gene Amole, John Coit, they are now gone and as the Wiffenpoof said, “And forgotten like the rest.”
One thing is for sure it’s been one hell of a ride. Been fired off of jobs, hired on to jobs, married and divorced more than once, gained my sobriety, was in a couple of car wrecks, rode motorcycles with some pretty amazing characters, went to rodeo school and bucked out bulls, jumped out of airplanes, and had my last couple of fights in the ring. And now 80 looms.
I believe that there are people who work for insurance companies that are sort of like bookies, but they’re betting life expectancies after all the things I’ve done to my body. I can always envision one sitting next to another in a big office in New York, and giving the other guy the elbow and saying, “Look at this joker we got in Denver. What are the overs and unders on him?”
When you read what the great minds and philosophers and historians tell us about our lives, some people live them big, and some live them small. Living life big doesn’t necessarily mean good, and living small has its own rewards. I think a lot about my dad who was gone at 63. Most of his brothers went out young as well. Now I’m gonna be 80. This just isn’t fair but I’m not sure to whom. I remember a time in my 30s doing radio where I had the answer to any question any caller would ask. Now I don’t even know what the question is. I don’t know if that’s wisdom or dementia. But for God’s sake, don’t let me turn into Joe Biden.
Happy birthday to me.
— Peter Boyles