Showing posts with label Aging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aging. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

I didn't look old enough for my discount

They didn't want to give me my discount; I didn't look old enough.

One of the advantages of being 61 is that you get all of these senior discounts. Some places give seniors as much as twenty percent discounts. Hotels, restaurants, stores, buses; the list is limitless. It's great! So, imagine my surprise yesterday when the cashier at a local Chinese Restaurant refused to give me my 10 percent discount. She said I didn't look old enough.

It might have been because they stared at me as I sat at a table alone using my I-Pad 3G and read 10 newspapers, scanned the State Legislative agenda, sent two emails and wrote a lengthy blog; all while sipping hot and sour soup, and nibbling fried rice covered with vegetables. I guess I didn't look or act old.

How is a 61 year old supposed to act? Bent? Broken? Out of touch? How am I supposed to look? Wrinkled? Tattered? Should I have small slow steps? Should my voice quiver and hand shake? Should I need help opening a door? Should I think Youtube is a tire and not recognize Lil Wayne?

Health and awareness is not reserved for the young; millions of seniors have the peculiar advantage of the wisdom of age and the health, strength and awareness to take advantage of what life has taught. They don't look or act old although they surely have many miles on their motors.

Moses lived to be 120 and the bible says his eyes were not dimmed and his force was not diminished. That Moses dude was cool. I like his style; he didn't even have a funeral, he lived to the last day then disappeared. Way to go!

Psalms 92:14 says, "They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing." That just about describes it!

The cashier made me produce my driver's license then said, "You won't turn 61 until next month."

"That's true," I said as I pointed to discount sign posted near the register, "But I turned 60 last year."

I got my discount and logged into my Twitter account as I walked out of the door.