A stockbroker urged me to buy a stock that would triple its value every year. I told him, "At my age, I don't even buy green bananas."

Using self-deprecating humor, Pepper contrasts the long time horizon implied by an investment that “triples every year” with the shortened planning horizon people feel in old age. The “green bananas” line turns abstract financial risk into a vivid everyday choice: why buy something you may not live to see ripen? Beyond aging, the quip also punctures get-rich-quick salesmanship—suggesting skepticism toward exaggerated promises and emphasizing that prudent decisions depend on one’s circumstances, including time, health, and risk tolerance. As a public figure known for longevity and senior-issues advocacy, the joke resonates as a wry commentary on mortality and practical judgment.

“At my age, I don’t even buy green bananas.”
“Son, at my age I don’t even buy green bananas.”
“At my age, I don’t buy green bananas.”