Love is in the Air and that includes May-December romances. In the 1971 cult classic Harold and Maude, the relationship between the two protagonists is innocent enough. Twisted, but innocent. There's no hint in the film that Ruth Gordon's grandmotherly Maude has money or that Bud Cort's Harold has any interest in her besides love and friendship. Besides, Maude initiates the relationship. But real life provides less idyllic scenarios. Imagine the following instance, one which will become more common as the population of the U.S. ages:
Silver-haired Sarah is befriended by barely 20-something Hank. Sarah has family, but they seldom visit. There's a son in Los Angeles who, back in the eighties, appeared in some schlock-horror B movies and now holds himself out as a talent agent. He called once last year to wish Sarah a belated happy birthday—and ask for money, which Sarah sent. Then there's the daughter, who lives an hour away from Sarah, but their relationship is—if not frosty—very strained. There might be plenty of blame to go around for the difficulties between them, but either way, the visits are few and far between. Maybe that's for the best, as their time together always ends in recriminations and tears. The grandchildren? Well, they used to visit, but they have since moved on to who knows where with their own lives—lives which have no room for an old, lonely lady who jabbers on endlessly about the memories in which she lives.
