I’ve had a lifelong fascination with Old Geezers. They have a unique set of characteristics which are, as far as I can tell, seldom commented upon. Be it understood that an Old Geezer is not just an old man, but an old man of breezy self-assurance and strident opinions, one who is sufficiently well-read and well-informed to at least put up a show of immense erudition. You might call him pompous, although I myself find his pomposity quite endearing. Actually, let me show my hand straight away and admit that I love the Old Geezer and I’m nearly always on his side. This is a tribute, not a satire.

An Old Geezer doesn’t necessarily have to be old. I think you can be an Old Geezer at any age. The younger you are the harder it is to pull it off, but (if successful) you gain even more ability to get under your opponents’ skin. A seventeen-year-old Old Geezer (closely related to the Young Fogey) would render his opponents puce and helpless.

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