Shattered Dreams

I had alcohol in my supermarket basket, and the girl on the till rang her bell for the supervisor , and said she needed "An age check".
I was in my 50s and very flattered until I realised she was under age to sell alcohol, and she needed the supervisor to approve the transaction on her till.

Caught sight of myself in a mirror yesterday and realised that not only do I feel 10 years older at the moment, I look it! . I first realised I looked old when I went to stay with my younger sister in China and was universally taken for her Mother! Didn’t do my self esteem any good but was very helpful on a practical level as I got help carrying luggage etc. I tell myself that, given what life has thrown at me, I should just be grateful I’m still here and wear my wrinkles with pride.

Remember my father who was then in his eighties replying to my mothers suggestion they join an older person group,
"I'm not going with those old people"
just all in the mind, usually someone else mind

I've been mistaken for the sister/girlfriend/partner of both my sons at one time or another. One time, by his friends at the eldest's 21st, another when he booked me into the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, and on many occasions when meeting youngest at his local train station where we hug and walk out arm in arm to the smiles of the usual ticket guard. He was a bit perplexed when I showed him my senior railcard as he'd thought son's children (my grandchildren) were 'our' children. DS wasn't thrilled when I told him. mind you, that was about 10 years ago. It catches up with you in the end.

I remember the first time it happened to hubs and I. We were 50 and went out for lunch. The young assistant asked "do you want the pensioners special"? I was floored, thinking I was looking good for 50. That same year we moved house and the new neighbour asked if we had grandchildren. I said huffily that my children weren't old enough to have children! Now that I am in my sixties and have grandchildren I'm more than happy to brag about them.

Last year my mother was horrified to be brought a box of foodstuffs after the Harvest Festival, as the donations were being distributed to ”the elderly”. She might be nearly 90, but she was very put out!

You are not alone! At a local tourist attraction with my granddaughter, I sat on a swing seat in the play area to relax. Up marched a little blondhaired girl aged about 3. 'Little old lady, could you get off please?' Well I'm not little for starters.

I know the feeling. I recently capitulated and bought a disability scooter. I can walk but have to keep sitting down and by the time I’ve got around the supermarket I’m done for the rest of the day. My partner likes to do the packing his way so I just wait to pay. In the queue for the checkout a well meaning lady patted my shoulder and said ‘Is that your your son helping? I’m 66 and my ‘son’ is 70!

I always ask for a senior ticket on the GOSPORT ferry, even though they call it OAP. I was only challenged once but it made my week!

When in a N Wales seaside town yesterday I said to my sister that it was full of old people, then we remembered we are 67 and 69!

We had the reverse in the States. We were on holiday with son, 34 and DiL 26. He was constantly asked for ID when buying alcohol, but she never was.

My youngest son went to the pub with colleagues . He was refused at the bar when he went to buy a round because, ”he needed to be 18 to buy a drink”. Pointing out that it was his 21st made no difference.

I guess they won’t mind this ‘problem’ when they are my age.

Get over it, his kindness should have mattered not a throw away word. My friend was a grandad at 38!!!!

My much loved DiL was telling me about the REALLY OLD lolly-pop man at school. I wish I hadn't felt compelled to ask... turns out he is just one year older than I am.

Yesterday I was waiting for an engineer from BG and they always ring when they are on the way so I answered a call from a mobile.
It was the usual Indian voice asking can I just ask you a couple of questions, no more than 60 seconds of your time.
The first was ,are you Mrs A ,yes ,which age group are you in, 40's, 50's etc, 80',s said I.
Oh I am so sorry to hear that Madam , and the phone went down

I was boarding a bus when the driver remonstrated with two teenagers who were mucking about. 'You might have hurt that old woman' he said. I went upstairs thinking I hadn't seen anyone else and hoping I hadn't inadvertently jumped the queue. 10 WHOLE MINUTES it took for the penny to drop that he was speaking of me. Not only old but slow on the uptake too so I guess the tag was deserved. Always makes me smile when I think of this. Eye of the beholder right enough.......

Got up this morning feeling hung over and tetchy after a bad night. This thread has made me smile a lot. Thank you.

I was really pleased at age 60 to qualify for state pension and bus pass.
Photo looked fine like me.
However 4 years later I had photos taken (several times) for new passport but they all looked old although I still look the same. Luckily when the passport came back I found that the photo is covered with a patterned plastic which helps a lot.
The kind people at bus pass HQ still use the old photo.

There's nothing annoys me more than someone addressing me as 'young man' when it's obvious that 'young' and aged 72 I most certainly am not!

Ours sons decorated the dining room to celebrate our golden wedding anniversary and there is still a 50 in the window. One of our new neighbours came to say 'hello' and said she knew it must be something like an anniversary as she had heard that we were old. Hmm, seems like the neighbours all know a lot about us!

I dropped something in Marks and Spencer’s and a young floor walker came rushing over to help me. It was very nice of him but my first thought was “does he think I’m old” my second thought was “ oh blimey, I AM old” !! 72.5 years old. ??????

Get over it, his kindness should have mattered not a throw away word
Mabon1; I think you're missing the point!

I was miffed to hear that my father had been put in the geriatric ward when he went into hospital. But then I realised, he was actually 89!

When I was in my thirties I went to the Post Office to buy premium bonds and the cashier asked me if they were for my grandchildren. I nearly fell over. I didn't get grandchildren till I was in my sixties. And recently a man grabbed my elbow as I was getting off a bus. For a split second I thought he was getting fresh with me, then I realised he saw me as an old lady and he was steadying me. Oh well.

I do use the being offered a seat scenario as a gauge of how sprightly I am looking. But I make a point of accepting very gratefully then watch out to see if someone more frail needs it, of any age.
But was really upset when the receptionist at my brothers care home asked if I was younger or older than he was. He was fourteen years older.
And the local green grocer asked if I was his twin, years ago.
Spitting with fury even now.
What would make me look younger?

GN gives me a daily laugh. Keep it up! Two instances: the assistant at B&Q asked the (very) elderly man in front of me for proof of age when he used his Diamond card but she didn't ask me. The hairdresser said "Show this old lady that picture", and I realised she was referring to me.