David Eugene Sampson says:
When I was in 2nd or 3rd grade, I believe, I had a class assignment to write an essay on the "Most Interesting Person I Have Ever Met." I asked my dad to ask Grandpa if he would let me interview him on this topic; he said, "Yes" and my dad and I drove down to his house which was only a couple of blocks away when we still lived in the Englewood area of Coos Bay.
Grandpa was sitting in his favorite rocking chair in their tiny living room, sipping brandy. I had a set of questions prepared to ask him including "How tall were you as a young man?" He responded with 5'8", I think. I then asked him a follow-up question which was, "And How Tall Are You Today?"
He looked at me like I was addled, and then with a grin and a laugh, said "Well, the same height I was then!" Dad laughed also and, of course, I felt like a perfect fool.
But I had heard somewhere or somehow that people's height typically shrinks a bit with age. Grandpa, I presume, had never heard of that phenomenon. Since he was probably 67 or 68 at the time I asked him, I'll bet he was down to about 5'7" or so, but I never found out as I didn't have the courage to point that out and ask to measure him or something. I know this happens as I was 5'11.25" when I went into the army at 20, but I am now only about 5'10.375" according to my last physical a year or so ago!
Dave
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