when you were young... now you are old
Tonight, because the world is getting hotter, I decided to duck into the supermarket after aqua aerobics. They're right next to each other and I figured it would save the planet if I took in the two tasks on the one journey instead of going back tomorrow evening.
It was after 9pm, so I whizzed around without the usual children darting around my trolley or old people limping along just in front of me. Before I knew it I was waiting in line at the checkout behind a glamorous young woman. She was dolled up in a purple coat with circular patterned white lining, fishnet stockings and wrinkled, black, pointy boots. The whole ensemble was finished off with a pair of extremely dangly silver earrings and a pastel pink purse. Between wondering why on earth the young woman was wearing a coat in such unseasonably warm weather, I admired said coat and pondered whether I should buy one for myself this autumn. I also admired her courage for wearing such an outfit, and (after spying a photo in her purse) wondered how the man in her life felt about her sense of style.
Purchase complete, she paid the bill and moved off. I distractedly moved forward in the checkout, my mind in another world. I must have looked quite a sight I suppose - lank, wet hair straight from the pool; wrinkled, soiled clothes hurriedly pulled from a bag; bleary chlorine eyes. Any visions of a fit, healthy loveliness featured only in my mind. Or so it seemed from the words spoken to me by the checkout bloke:
"Did you ever dress like that when you were young?"
I laughed and sagely advised him that back then I had been far too boring for bright purple coats. He proceeded to fumble and drop my groceries into my environmentally friendly green bags, crushing my rice crackers. Could it be that I really was a vision of fit, healthy loveliness after all, completely putting him off his game?
Only when I reached the car did I realise what he had said: "when you were young..."
Crushing! Did I look that old? What about the fit, healthy loveliness? What about the patients who ask if I've just finished my training? What about the lack of respect I receive because I look naive and innocent?
When you were young??!??!?
Oh, what a terrible blow.
Forget the world heating up... what about me getting old? I could weep.
posted by cecily @ 9:53 pm
9 comments
9 Comments:
why, that, that,
insensitive bastid.
You are young,healthy and beautiful. And more importantly,
you're younger than Madonna. Therefore, as long as she's hot, we can still be hot.
At least that's the logic I've been going on for the past 5 years.
~T
Wait,
Madonna is still hot isn't she?
0.o
I'm sure he didn't mean that you weren't young ... just not as young as that girl!
One time, I was out for drinks with three of my girlfriends. Two of them are in their early 40s, I'm 31 and the other was 27.
The server asked me and the 27-year-old for ID, and looked at the other two and said, "Sorry, ladies, I don't need yours."
We laughed; you could tell he didn't mean to allude that they were old.
But, instead he should have apologized to us "young" ladies for needing the ID! (Though, at 10 years older than the legal drinking age, it is a compliment!)
Ouch! Although isn't it nice to be old enough to have the sense not to wear that typer of fetching attire (and I do know that neither of us were outlandish when we were younger but hey, lets take the comfort that we can). ;)
And then when they call you maam, reality hits you hard. You will grow old like the rest of us; have no fear, you are young now and will always be way younger than many. The way I see it; you can grow old gracefully, or just grow old. The young and pretty are beautiful to look at, but when you are mature and still young (30's and 40's) you are even more desirable and much more graceful; even more beautiful. The magazines don't want you to know that though, they need to make money on you thinking you should look sixteen all the time. Just wait - you'll see!
Ah yes, Madge (Madonna... Australians are notoriously disrespectful)... I suppose she's still hot. I prefer to think of Kylie Minoque... she's nearly 40. And Nicole Kidman. And Halle Berry. All of them still looking perfect. You're right Tamar... I'm fine. Years to go before I have to worry. Just one problem... I don't do plastic surgery. Sigh.
I can't get my head around aging really. Guess that's why I write about it. There is a sense of disbelief tucked away inside - is this really happening to me?!
Thanks for the encouraging thoughts guys! I feel better. And Sandy, I agree that I like the look of not-too-young women more. There's a depth and richness to them that beats the smooth lushness of plump, rosy cheeks! Which, Robyn, Merry, Tamar and Sandy, means that right now we are all absolutely stunning.
Phew... glad we've got that one worked out!
If you're feeling old, just tease Frank about his age for a while. I do it with Michelle all the time. Works wonders!!
And I'm not going to comment on whether you're "hot" or not ... you're my sister. Gross!
By the way, the aforementioned oldies who still look twenty-something have an unfair advantage: soft filters, PhotoShop and very expensive make-up artists. I can't help wondering if they look so glam when they roll out of bed in the morning.
But back to your post: surely it's self-evident that you're old -- you do aquarobics!!
Of course they don't look so glam all the time Luke!!! You mustn't read the magazines when they plaster the 'real' celeb across the cover - they look just like us!
As a rule I only resort to denigrating others when my self esteem is so low that nothing else works to make me feel better. I hope Michelle suitably expresses her disgust at your disrespectful displays!!!
Which magazines?
I only read 3 magazine types: photography, wedding and Christian. Guess I miss out on the 'real' celebs eh ;-)
As a rule, I never denigrate others. Making the most of marrying a cradle-snatcher is a whole different thing :-)
Anyway, you're only 30-something, and that's only halfway to 60-plus-two-times-something, so you're still young-ish. Don't let a checkout bloke rattle you. How much did you know when you were a checkout chick?
:-)
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