To me old age is always ten years older than I am. ~ Andre Bernard Buruch
I would be completely fooling myself if I even contemplated that I could be mistaken for one of the young chicks that seem to be so abundant lately. I never had the body that most of these young girls have these days and could only hope to achieve such a body through the miracles of plastic surgery. The frequency with which I am referred to as "ma'am" lately does seem to indicate to me, though, that I must be looking much older than I had estimated. When my students call me ma'am, it doesn't bother me because to second graders I am ancient. On the contrary, a vile chill runs up my spine when I am addressed as ma'am by those who are obviously "twenty-somethings". Case in point: Today I was walking home from exercise class feeling pretty good because I had worked out and was still full of endorphins. As I approached the bike shop between my home and class, a young whippersnapper (a twenty-something) came barreling towards the road (astride a scooter) from the side of the building, startling me. My shock was obviously evident because the whippersnapper insulted me with his apology, "Sorry to startle you, MA'AM." Nothing like that apology to burst the tiny bubble of self-confidence I momentarily possessed. Ma'am. I guess I should have found my cane and beaten him senseless. I will next time....unless the Alzheimers kicks in and I forget. I'm going to take a Geritol, slather on some Porcelana, and feebly stumble to bed.
1 comment:
i understand! now that i am post-baby, jiggly, and despite how much i try to do my hair and make-up, i just never look put together. i find myself looking at these 20-somethings with their oh-so-perfect bodies and flawless skin, hair and makeup that just come out of vogue, and i'm like, "what the #&U$(#)?" when i was 20-something, i was wearing The Gap and Limited and venturing into Ann Taylor and Banana Republic and I was always fully clothed! my make up didn't look like it was air-brushed on, and i didn't have bronzed skin! now, everything is cropped or hip-hugging, and me in my khaki shorts, white tee and running shoes just looks uncool! i now look how my mom's friends looked to me in high school and college. and yes, i called them "ma'am!!!" the horrors! carolina
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