Canes are cropping up in my age group like crab grass in a green lawn. And I have discovered there are as many ways to use a cane as there are people using them. I always think first of my vibrant friend who had to use a cane as a result of an injury she sustained while serving in the Red Cross in World War II. Her husband was in the State Department, which entailed lots of entertaining and the wardrobe to go with it. To enliven her cane, she made different covers for it to match her various evening gowns and cocktail dresses. I remember one cover in particular that had sequins down the side and a silk bow at the top. She wielded those canes with the panache they deserved, and they became an intrinsic part of her.
Then there was my father-in-law who used his cane more for pointing that walking. He would nearly decapitate fellow shoppers in the grocery store as he grandly swept his cane in a wide arc to indicate which kind of soup he wanted in his basket. It was a relief when he transitioned to a walker. No more brandishing.
Another family member had a cane that never left the corner where it was placed when she first got it. No way was she going out in public advertising any infirmities. Many falls later she still hotly maintained that the falls would have been worse if a cane were involved.
We now have a neighbor who faithfully walks his dog every day with the aid of a very pedestrian brown cane. However, I have figured out that the dog has been trained to signals from that cane. Three taps on the ground and the dog stops until a shooing motion with the same implement sends him on his way. Thus, the two of them make their slow way around the neighborhood in perfect harmony.
Then, there is the matter of selecting the right cane. Should it have an animal head on the top, or be made of wood or aluminum? Would an old-fashioned carved stick be the right choice, or should one stick with the modern amenities and get an adjustable one? Showing the general aging of the population one can even get a cane representing one’s favorite sports team or school. I suppose one could channel one’s inner Scarlet Pimpernel and get a sword stick in case a quick escape is needed. (Although how quick that would be aided by a cane remains to be seen.)
I do not need a cane as yet, but I can see that I need to put some thought into how I am going to approach this matter if needed. How about a cane that cooks dinner every night, or one that cleans the bathroom? I would even happily settle for one that paid my bills or organized my files. But realistically I have to admit that I will probably have a boring brown one with no tricks or embellishments. But I have hopes that I will at least swing it with style. Fred Astaire watch out.