He said I was bein hard on myself. Said it was a sign of old age. Tryin to set things right. I guess there's some truth to that. But it aint the whole truth. I agreed with him that there wasnt a whole lot good you could say about old age and he said he knew one thing and I said what is that. And he said it dont last long. I waited for him to smile but he didn't. I said well, that's pretty cold. And he said it was no colder than what the facts called for. So that was all there was about that.
The protagonist reflects on a conversation with a friend who suggests he is being overly critical of himself due to the challenges of aging. Despite acknowledging the difficulties that come with getting older, he senses that his friend's perspective doesn’t encompass the full reality of his feelings. There’s a shared understanding that old age is not particularly favorable, but the exchange takes a stark turn as the friend remarks that aging ultimately doesn’t last long.
This comment sparks a discussion about the harsh truths of life, highlighting a certain coldness in his outlook. The protagonist finds this view uncomfortably blunt, and the conversation underscores a broader theme of the inevitability of aging and the human tendency to grapple with its implications. Thus, the dialogue reveals deep emotions surrounding the passage of time and the bittersweet nature of reflection on one's life.
