Having a parent die is certainly an event that leads to some serious thinking about one's mortality. And thoughts about simply aging keep emerging: prompted by other, much-more-subtle incidents as well.
To wit: I've had another encounter with the whole "senior discount" thing!
As you might recall, a couple of years ago I talked about the kid at the Subway shop who asked if I wanted the senior discount. (I said: no thank you very much.) Then, last year, I had another, similar experience at Noah's Bagels when one of the employees simply rang me up with the senior discount.
Well, this whole issue has been raised again at Noah's.
Last weekend, one of the employees who had been automatically giving me the discount, said that the manager now indicates that they can only do so when the customer asks. I said, "OK." But I knew that I would have a difficult time actually going there. It's one thing to be extended the courtesy. And another entirely to have to ask for it. (Which, of course, is something the management would know.)
Monday morning, I tried it out. Another employee rang me up and, at the end of the transaction, I requested the senior discount. He had rung me up for months without it and, when he raised one eyebrow, I explained, "one of the other folks told me this weekend that I could ask for it."
First, he rang it up. Then, he said, "could I see your ID please?"
I wasn't entirely sure I had heard him right. I replied, "huh?"
He repeated it. I had heard him correctly. Stunned, I started to reach for my wallet, whereupon he said, "just kidding."
I said, "oh, very funny."
But it wasn't. I was reluctant to do this in the first place. Then, the first time I ask, I am "kiddingly" harassed.
I won't be doing that again, anytime soon at least.
So, I guess I'll have to reinstate that portion of my "aging-gracefully" policy which says: tell no one of your "senior" status.
Soundtrack Suggestion
Will it go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky
Will it go round in circles
Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky
("Will It Go Round In Circles" - Billy Preston)