By Gary Martin
Gary B. Martin is an illustrator and animator who has lived on the Upper West Side for more than 30 years. His illustrations appear in the Rag on Sundays, chronicling life in the neighborhood, New York City, and the Universe. See them all here. For a broader range of Gary’s work, including animations and other motion graphics, please visit www.martoons.com
Listen to Rag Radio’s interview with Gary Martin — HERE.
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Just wait until you are 82!
A few years ago, I was at a bar with an old friend who was around 87 at the time. She was flirting with a gentleman next to her at the bar. At one point she turned to me and said “if only I were 70 again.” it’s all about perspective, right?
Ohhhhhh ty!
Very happy to read this comment. Agree!
here’s to you, Janet!
Benjamin Buttons is calling “Gary.” Also, has the Naked Cowboy aged? 😯
If you saw him at the No Kings March you would have seen how much he’s aged…
It happens BEFORE 70, trust me.
That’s the truth Brother! How did this happen?
True dat!
Inside of me there’s a team of gremlins with pickaxes and they’re knocking down the infrastructure.
Spot on, Gary. As usual.
So true. Gary nails it again!
He has it right! Excellent one this week, as always! we love Gary’s work!
So true!
The people on the bench, 2 people angry at what is going on around them and a third lost in deep mourning. Kids, don’t worry, you will get there some day and it really isn’t like that.
Your new grammarian would tell you that you have to either change this to “Inside each” or “are young people.” In its current form, it is hopelessly ungrammatical.
Good thing the grammarian isn’t here!
Yes! The little boy in you and the little girl in me – they’re still here! ❤️
Never forget, in the words of Bob Dylan, “I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now!”
oooph <3
Hahahaha….so true!
Who’s old? But yes, wondering everyday “WTF”
The reality of this hit me a few years back. So true! I’m 77 now and I’m waiting for my 50 year old kids to have the experience. Just love Gary’s stuff!
WTF and I want a do-over!!!🤣🤣🤣
Somebody did tell me wtf stands for welcome to Florida.
ok THAT is funny.
Wasn’t supposed to happen to meee!
You’re one of the lucky ones. It doesn’t happen to most people.
⏰
Well, WTF *did* happen?
Ya got that right!🤣🥲🤣🥲
Totally true!!!
This is entirely true. I opened my first retail store on Columbus Avenue and also moved to the UWS 44 years ago. The area was the most fun neighborhood, alive with stores that drew millions from everywhere. As crowds came, so did the chain stores pushing out boutiques and cafes, and block after block gentrified. Families grew older. Parents stayed put. We grew older and finally the blandness settled in. Today, even the newly purchased Harry’s Shoes seems like an old age home. Charivari isn’t even remembered. The DDL Foodshow long forgotten. Fairway is awful. The young shopper is king but never comes to the UWS any longer. It’s not that much different on the UES. Everything is happening downtown. The question I ask myself all the time is, did the internet make everything a commodity and create the blandness and sameness or are the cost just not willing to spend for fashion and food any longer? My conclusion is it’s everything. The internet, the age, the income levels, the rent. The cost of maintaining stores.
44 years ago takes us back to 1981. Ed Koch was Mayor. Amidst all the fun wasn’t there buildings all filled with cinderblocks and lots and lots of muggers?
Life of the party
OMG! Exactly right! It’s what young people can’t imagine will happen to them when they get to be our age! 😂🤪🤣 ~ Thank you Mr M, you nailed it!
The realization of aging can be quite unnerving and cause depression.
I had surgery 4 months ago and after about 7 weeks I was transferred from the major Manhattan hospital [ upper east side] to a nursing and rehabilitation facility..
What I found out was, exactly what we all have suspected, heard and ignored while living our YOUNGER lives.
HUDSON HILL in yonkers is hellish nursing prison which is under staffed , and the staff who are here are underpaid.
The seniors who are residents and/or patients are underfed, ignored and treated as though this was a psych ward..
There’s a hell of a lot more going on and not enough space in this comment section.
The place is run with as minimalist approach by the owners and management. They’re hiring unqualified personnel and do not want any descent from patients or residents.
The bottom line is collecting insurance payments.
The food is disgusting asnd inadequate to say the least.
The kitchen staff haven’t a clue. Pasta is a foreign word.
Spaghetti is a mystery.
Toast and grill cheese are prepared in a microwave and the bread turns into burnt rubber.
We used to brush our teeth after every meal, but at Hudson Hill the seniors LOOK FOR THEIR TEETH after every meal..
There’s a lot more grievances so I hope someone will address these issues like I am.
Thank you,
Adam Fox
i’ve witnessed nursing homes and they are a disgrace. hope you’re out of there soon!
I’ve been wondering “WTF happened?” since I turned 30! And that was a while back.
you need the senior folks looking from the window, not the bench. c’mon now.
The UWS has never been a place to ‘have fun’ as a person in your 20’s or 30’s !
If you’re a fan of music, or discos or even fabulous restaurants …fergedaboudit! … Never happened here! Always elsewhere in Manhattan! .. Stunning: hot and happening.. food / music!
The City totally rocked in the 80’s and 90’s ..! Amazing!
Idiots
I sometimes may feel “WTF” in a negative sense about the world around me currently, but I know history is cyclical and that this misery will end. But I know I more often feel “WTF” in an extremely positive sense in feeling blessed with all the people in my life now I never imagined I’d ever meet and know…