Relative Age

Pfff . . . kids!Men really don’t pay much attention to age.At least the men in my life.Not like women do.Cases in point:I had just turned twelve.An important milestone in my world.I could now go to 4-H.And youth activities in our church.Of course, there were drawbacks.The price of admission to any of our local movies doubled.From twenty-five cents.To fifty.Yikes.But I was twelve.It had taken me twelve long years to get here.And I wanted the whole world to know it.Dad was taking us kids to the movies.And was in the process of buying tickets.“One adult, three youth and three children, please,” he said.“Da-ad!” I said. Loudly.All eyes in the theatre foyer turned to us.“I’m twelve now!”“Oh. Are you?” I’m sure he was embarrassed, but he covered it well. “When did that happen?”“Da-ad!”Kids aren’t tactful.Even when they’re twelve.Moving ahead several years . . .My Husby and I were at the home of some friends.Dinner was over.The visiting had begun.The conversation had turned to the inevitable - and painful - progression of old age.My Husby and I were speaking from the advanced ages of twenty-nine and twenty-eight, respectively.But our friends had both rounded the corner and were into their thirties.Elderly indeed.My Husby was teasing the wife. “Well, speaking from the advanced age of thirty-six, you would . . .”I don’t remember the rest of his statement.But I do recall that the wife turning an instant and remarkable shade of red. “Thirty-six!!” she said. “Thirty-six?!” She got up and looked in the mirror. “I just turned thirty-four!”Oops.Later I asked him what on earth he was thinking.“Well,” he said. “I thought I was really exaggerating. You know? Over-estimating?”Oh. Note to Husby. When over-estimating, REALLY over-estimate.Decades.Centuries.Missing by a couple of years is . . . dangerous.Because as it turns out, age, to women, is important.See?