Getting older means accumulating wisdom and life lessons as you go.
That’s why the elderly always seem to have so many stories to tell and real-world knowledge to impart!
You may have heard tales and teachings from your grandparents, older colleagues, or even just from a group of wizened friends sitting in a park or cafe and chatting the day away.
One such cafe that is often hosted to elderly gentlemen and ladies and their wise stories is a deli owned by Tony Caputo.
It is such an integral part of his establishment that he decided to make the arrangement official!
He christened the usual go-to table for these men the Old Coots Giving Advice space.
But he didn’t just stop there – he went on to create a banner for them with their “slogan” of sorts, which says that the advice they give is probably bad, but hey, it’s free, so why not?
Heather Aagard
This idea, which has since spawned a weekly tradition, came to be when Caputo and his buddies were all bored from chatting to only each other.
So, he bought them a booth at the farmers market just opposite them across the street.
He decided to use that booth to give advice – and now, every Saturday, people flock to their table to ask them all sorts of questions.
Some of their most common patrons are young people who come to them seeking advice and assistance in solving a variety of problems.
Barring political and religious topics, these gentlemen are happy to talk about anything.
At first, it was just a bit of a joke, but it soon became clear that people truly enjoyed going to them for assistance.
Heather Aagard
The Old Coots, as they are now called, have received all sorts of queries and dished out their knowledge on a wide range of different topics.
They’ve been asked about romance, work, and even housekeeping!
Somehow, they have become the most popular booth in the entire market.
They listen carefully and never give flippant advice, and they are able to answer honestly and with no bias.
The group isn’t just consisted of Caputo, though. The official list runs as such:
- Carol Sisco. Former journalist. 70 years old.
- Gus Wheeler. Retired teacher at an elementary school. 67 years old.
- John Lesnan. Former HR manager. 69 years old.
- Lou Borgenicht. Retired pediatrician. 75 years old.
- Rich Klein. Businessman. Kitchen countertop entrepreneur. 73 years old.
- Chris Vanocur. A mentored trainee of the Old Coots. 58 years old.
The most common questions the Old Coots are asked have to do with romance and love.
Many young people are out there trying to find The One and not sure how, and these elderly individuals have lots of wisdom to share.
There are even more serious questions that deal with more serious issues, and they have done all they can to answer constructively and provide good solutions.
Heather Aagard
They’ve also had some odd questions, too, including one involving a man claiming to be haunted by ghosts who follow him no matter what house he moves to.
Despite the strangeness, they still gave him good, kind advice!
The Old Coots have become so popular that they now host a podcast together and post discussions on a special Facebook page.
So now, no matter what part of the world you’re in, you can benefit from their wisdom!