Fifty is a wonderful number

Fifty is a wonderful number isn't it? I mean fifty dollars is a great birthday gift, or even finding it in the sidewalk is great. Having fifty of something can be a great abundance, provided it's like fifty pounds of chocolate or something. Paying fifty cents for something is considered a great bargin. So why is it a bad thing when it comes to age? Most AMericans dread the half century mark and cherish the quarter century mark instead. I have often wondered why. I will proudly proclaim to all my loyal readers that my folks are turning the big 5-0 and I am having the time of my life plotting and planning to rib them about it. I had a friend of my fathers put a baby picture of him up, larger than life on the church jumbo screen, proclaiming that he can now seriously consider the mail being sent to him by the AARP! And who knows what lurks in my evil brain for my mother's milestone? Only the Shadow knows! Wah hahahahahahahaha!