The Reality of Getting Older

Just got home from my typical late-night grocery run.  After filling my cart with the typical stuff... you know, like bread, milk, hamburger, yogurt, apples, bananas, and grapes - I approached the check-out line of a friendly boy.  Boy?  Young man?  Not sure what I'd classify him as, but anyway...

So when he asks me if I found everything alright, I say "yes."  Though I know that's a standard question everyone has to ask, with little desire to know the truth, I decide that at 10:30 pm this boy may enjoy a little small talk.  So, I say, "You must have had a busy day here!  The shelves in grocery are pretty bare!"  He proceeds to tell me that it was a busy day, probably because High School graduation is coming up this weekend.  

Our small talk continues throughout the sounds of the scanner.  He is quite the talkative one... telling me about his upcoming High School graduation and plans to move to California this summer.  He talks about a relative he's planning on living with, and which California college he's hoping to get accepted to.

By now all of my groceries have been bagged, loaded into my cart, and I'm ready to pay.  He asks to see my debit card for my signature, and still, our small talk continues.  He tells me about his upcoming graduation party... how his mom is inviting everyone she's ever met and he was just hoping to have a few friends over.  I wish him the best of luck and off I go.

Now, as I push my cart out into the windy night and begin to load my bags into the Yukon, you'd think that I would be reflecting on our conversation.  High school graduation -- geesh, it's been 12 years since mine.  California -- wow, I bet they're having great weather there. 

But do you know what I was thinking?

OH MY GOSH!  WHY DID THAT BOY HAVE TO HAVE HIS LONG UN-TRIMMED HAIR HANGING IN HIS FACE!  

Yup, I'm getting old.