So, what's in your wallet? Lots of ID

Who are you? Who? Who? Who? Who?

- The Who

When I started out as a young sportswriter, the newspaper I worked for was so small we didn't have press credentials.

We didn't have fancy ID badges, and back then we had paper driver's licenses that didn't have photos.

We also didn't have much money, so when I was sent to some neighboring county to cover an athletic contest I always carried a copy of the newspaper with my sports column in it.

There was my face, there was my name. And any PTA-challenged ticket-taker could see it was OK to let me through the gate without charging the $2 I could ill afford.

Times have changed, and these days I've got a few more ways to prove I'm me.

While I'll leave the current debate of the voter ID legislation to the more politically active, I challenge you all to reach for your billfold or pocketbook and see how many reminders you carry to tell you who you are.

I've got seven.

A driver's license, one credit card, a bank ATM card, three health-care cards and - my favorite - a USA Hockey Level 3 coaching certification.

How about you?

l

TIME AND CHANGE: Billy Cooper of North Augusta shares the many benefits of being older than 55.

- Kidnappers are not very interested in you. In a hostage situation you are likely to be released first.

- People call at 9 p.m. and ask, "Did I wake you?"

- There is nothing left to learn the hard way.

- Things you buy now won't wear out.

- You can eat dinner at 4 p.m.

- You enjoy hearing about other people's operations.

- You get into heated arguments about pension plans.

- Your secrets are safe with your friends, because they can't remember them either.

l

TODAY'S JOKE: A little boy in church for the first time watched as the ushers passed around the offering plates.

When they came near his pew, the boy said loudly, "Don't pay for me, Daddy. I'm under 5."