George Goldman recently had his license renewed — confirming that he is not planning on going anywhere, or giving up his driving privileges, anytime soon.
"I have to go for at least five more years since that's when my new license will expire," said Goldman, as he prepared to celebrate his 100th birthday on April 14 in McLean.
That day, Goldman dined with his family at House of Fortune restaurant on Lowell Avenue. Goldman and his family come to House of Fortune once a week, but this time they were there to commemorate a century of a life led well.
"I feel both ways about it," said Goldman. "It's unbelievable — it's something that I never thought was going to happen, but of course nobody thinks it's going to happen, and it hardly ever does. On the other hand, I'm just like everybody else. I get up, I eat, I sleep. But I still can't believe it. It doesn't seem real."
GOLDMAN LIVED IN NEW YORK for 40 years, but moved to McLean in 1992 to live with his daughter and her family.
"But he lives in a separate house from the rest of us, and he has his own individual life," said Merri Estren, Goldman's granddaughter.
Estren, a freshman at Duke University, drove straight from Durham, N.C. to House of Fortune on Friday afternoon. The four-hour drive was well worth the 100th birthday of her grandfather, whom she describes as "amazing" and "the sweetest, most generous man."
"A big thing for us is family dinners," said Estren. "We go out once or twice a week, and he always picks up the bill."
The family-owned House of Fortune has been in McLean for almost 26 years, and has been feeding Goldman and his family for a good portion of that time.
"They've been coming here for 20-some years," said owner Lan Chung. "We knew their family before they had grandchildren, and now their granddaughter is in college."
Goldman does not let his age hold him back. In addition to driving on his own, he also spends 12 minutes walking on the treadmill everyday, does all of his grocery shopping and swims in the family pool on a regular basis. Lan Chung said she frequently runs into "grandpa," as she affectionately refers to him, at the local Giant.
"I wish I was 100 years old," said Chung.
Goldman said that he did not want much for his birthday this year.
"No special wish — just another 100 years."