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At Birth; Body Age: 70
In1860, it was proper tradition to deliver a baby at home; "At present, so I am told, the high gods of medicine have decreed that the first cries of the young shall be uttered . . . [in] a hospital . . ." (60). So young Mr. and Mrs. Roger Button were fifty years ahead of style when they decided that their first baby should be born in a hospital. Benjamin was birthed as a wrinkly old man, with all the wisdom when he has not even lived a single day. Benjamin is not pleased on how he is treated. -
At Age 5; Body Age: 65
Benjamin is sent to kindergarten where he is forced to complete imbicilic tasks such as " . . . the art of pasting green paper on orange paper . . ." (68), These activites severely bored Benjamin into a state of sleepiness which irritated his teacher, which then ultimately caused Benjamin's removal from the school. Benjamin's parents told their friends that Benjamin was too young. -
At Age 12; Body Age: 58
"By the time he was twelve years old his parents had grown used to him. Indeed . . . that they no longer felt he was different from any other child." (68). By age 12, Benjamin's parents had gotten used to him. Benjamin, shortly after his 12th birthday made an astonishing discovery. He had discovered that he was aging backwards when he saw that his appearance showed a much younger person then from when he was born. -
At Age 18; Body Age: 52
". . . his father sent him . . . to . . . take the examinations for entrance to Yale College." (69). Benjamin ends up passing the exam and is admitted to Yale College. All that was left was for Benjamin to visit the registrar to make his schedule. When he goes in, the registrar thinks that Benjamin is Roger Button, his father. Although Benjamin assured the registrar he was who he said he was, the registrar does not believe him. He is then forcefully asked to leave. -
At Age 20; Body Age: 50
Benjamin " . . . signalized his birthday by going to work for his father in Roger Button & Co., Wholesale Hardware." (71). It was at the same time that he began going out socially. Roger Button was also age 50. When they went out for dances they could pass as brothers. -
At Age 38; Body Age: 32
Following ". . . the outbreakof the Spanish-American War in 1898" his home had little appeal left for him so he decided to join the army (75).
