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18 February 2008
Yesterday at work, I was partnered up with this kid Bryan, who's about 23. I was managing the line of customers and asked one woman "Bryan's helping you, right?" "Yes, the young guy," she answered. Oy.
Yeah, I hear you. You shouldn't think of what the woman said as a reflection on you though - 23 is young and that's all she meant, Pappy.
ibmcginty, you wouldn't call someone young ma'am, would you? I mean, if you were 25, you wouldn't call a 22 year old woman ma'am. I didn't start getting called ma'am until I was in my 30s.
It's just one of those constant reminders that you're getting older, like anyone needs more reminders...
Yeah, I hear you. You shouldn't think of what the woman said as a reflection on you though - 23 is young and that's all she meant, Pappy.
Oh, I know, she didn't mean anything by it. It was more a 'wow-you-aren't-that-young-anymore' moment. Although strangely, the 'young guy' on question already has a visibly receding hairline, whereas I still have a head full of luxurious locks.
Well I am not at the age to get "senior" discounts yet, but for the past year, at the movies, I have gotten the senior price, which is way lower than regular night time admission. No one has carded me yet, and I doubt they will.
I remembered that, when I was back in my early 20's, someone over 40 may as well have been 75 or so, and I use that to my advantage.
So jon, perhaps you can find ways of using your advancing decrepitude to your advantage!
Too bad you can't card chicks at the bookstore. That makes the day, especially when it is sincere.
At this point, I even enjoy the twice look before not being carded.
I do still get carded from time to time, but I assume it's because whatever store is on a card everybody policy for some reason, or else the carder is twenty years older or younger than I, and usually of a different ethnicity. People in my general age bracket world have a good idea how old I am.
It'll be hard to loose that - getting carded, although I can't belive I haven't lost it already. And I know they are carding under 30, not 21, but hey, right now, that's still great.
My younger brother's girlfriend called me ma'am one time when I was like 21 and they were about 16 or 17. She was borrowing my apartment sink briefly to dye her hair purple & blue; naturally, I had all the necessities for this operation but I didn't know her well. I was totally horrified and I'm still horrified whenever I hear it although, granted, I'm used to it these days. Sigh, nobody ever cards me anymore and I happily accept the senior discount that the fuel oil man offers me - although I wouldn't if he didn't have that tell tale wink, wink, nudge, nudge tone in his voice.
giovanni, at least we still have our hair, it could be much worse, losing hair early ages you of 10 years instantly, be grateful for your hair instead!
I had a roommate in college who insisted on addressing all female service workers -- waitresses, baristas, sales clerks -- as ma'am, no matter what their age. He was trying to be polite, but I always had to explain to him that sometimes his use of "ma'am" was inappropriate, even downright rude -- like when the server in question was his age or younger, or when they had already established a more friendly, informal server/customer rapport. He never quite got it, though.
To speak to someone whose name I don't know (in a setting like a store or a restaurant),I use "ma'am" for old ladies and "miss" for young ladies. I'm not really sure what things I use to decide whether a lady is a ma'am or a miss.
Okay, no one's reading this anymore, but I just remembered this time my dad was in the emergency room, and the nurse kept calling him "brother man." He'd come in and go, "How you doin', Brother Man?" Damndest thing I've ever heard.
Very Tennessee Williams, JanetLand. He used "Brother Man" and "Sister Woman" but I've never heard anyone say those phrases outside of his plays/movies. People must!
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