Re: “Maine women among 5 to say former President George H.W. Bush groped them in photo shoots” (Oct. 27):

If George H.W. Bush, at age 93, were in a nursing home and grabbed the rear of a female patient, some staff members might view this as an encouraging sign that he’s feeling better – an improvement over stealing other patients’ false teeth or recuperating from a mild stroke.

Anyone who has spent time in a nursing home knows that such bizarre behavior is commonplace among aged patients with cognitive deficiencies. As one wit put it: He should be charged with assault with a dead weapon.

But, seriously, Barbara needs to rein him in, perhaps swat him on the side of the head with a rolled-up newspaper. Women should not be subjected to unwelcome touching or off-color jokes in any circumstances.

At 93, and still in possession of my almost full bag of marbles, there, but for the grace of God, go I.

We fought in the same war, in the same Navy, in the same ocean at the same time. I’m saddened to see him go out like this, the shadow of a man I remember as one of our bravest and best.

Walter J. Eno

Scarborough