Q & A with Survivor, Gervase Peterson.
Say Gerv? Our last child is off to college and now it’s just me and the wife. What are we supposed to do now?
– Chris, Woodbury, NJ
Chris, you’re finally going to be empty nesters. Congratulations! Yet it seems like you and the wife aren’t too happy about this. Let’s see, what can you do now? Hmmmmm. Oh, you could turn the kid’s room into a poker room or an in-home gym. You could walk around the house naked now that the kids are gone. Or you could reconnect with the wife since it’s just the two of you now with no distracting kids around. Chris, you can do anything you want. That’s the beauty of your situation. I’m sure you’re going to miss the kids, but trust me, they’ll be back. They always come back. So why not enjoy this new-found freedom you have. Start a hobby you’ve been dying to do. Or just enjoy the peace and quiet. You and the wife have done your jobs. You’ve raised the kids right and sent them off to college. So, enjoy your kid retirement. And if you’re still unsure of what to do, come over to Burnz Cigars and have a smoke with me!
Say Gerv? My girlfriend’s family doesn’t like me, but she wants us to go away with them for a week on vacation. I don’t want to go, and she said that if I don’t go, it’s over. What should I do?
– Tommy, Bensalem, PA
Tommy, that’s a tough decision you’re going to have to make. It’s easy for me, but tough for you. You should talk with your girl and let her know it’s uncomfortable for you to be around a bunch of people that don’t like you. You can deal with them in everyday life, but to be trapped with them for a week is too much. It wouldn’t be a fun vacation for you or for them either, with that drama going on. Now I can see why your girl wants you to go, but until that drama can be settled or her family can treat you civilly, there’s no need for you to put yourself in that situation. That ultimatum though is the line in the sand. If she made this an ultimatum situation, you better believe they’ll be more of them coming your way every time you won’t do something she wants you to do. And that, my friend, is no way to live.
Say Gerv? I’m 50 years old and I’ve been dating a 25-year-old. My friend keeps telling me she’s too young and to date my age, but I really like her. Do you see a problem with this?
– Brian, Marlton, NJ
Brian, I’ve dated some younger women, and my friend Maggie used to say the same thing to me. What do you have in common with someone younger than you? I told her we like to eat, we like to drink and we like to fool around. The building blocks of any relationship. She didn’t find that funny. Honestly, I don’t see a problem with it, Brian. You both are adults, you know the situation you’re getting into, and you like each other. As long as you’re open and honest with each other, I say go for it! And why do you have to date someone your age? Who wants to date someone with high blood pressure, arthritis and the gout? If you had those things in common you wouldn’t want to date that person. Look, in these crazy times, finding someone who loves you for your good and bad qualities, that’s a win. At the end of the day, we all just want somebody to love us for us, and if you find that person, they’re a keeper.
Gervase Peterson was a cast member on the reality series “Survivor” and is an actor and entrepreneur. He keeps busy fulfilling personal appearance requests and speaking engagements across the country.
