Do you think every old person has wisdom? Why or why not?

No and no.

I have a neighbor, we've been going for coffee once a week for years. He's 87. I take him shopping, bring him food, etc. His family walked away decades ago because he's a bad person.

He was in prison for molesting his ten year old step daughter. He STILL says 'she wanted it'. That she came on to him. No penetration is his excuse, lots of kissing and touching which he says, to this day, was not criminal.

When we are out, girls coo and call him sweetie, and say 'what an adorable man' or 'oh your so sweet!'

No he's not. You should hear what he says about you when we leave. Its foul, and I've repeatedly told him to stop.

Why do I still help him? I don't know, he's a frail elderly human with no one else in this world. When I met him, my husband and I found him face down, vomiting, in his yard. He was going through brutal cancer treatments and had zero support. We couldn't NOT help him.

Outside of the foul sexual suggestions towards cashiers, baristas and such, he's very gentlemanly....to me. Every so often im reminded of how awful he was in his past, and my insides curdle.

But I just can't leave this frail, close to death, person on their own. I tried. I couldn't do it, as a human.

Bad or not, and he is, I can't do it.

/r/AskOldPeople Thread