The Picture of Ithoriel Gray

[Ithoriel]

OK, so, once was flattering ... but seven or eight times in a couple of months is bordering on creepy. The three taxi drivers I can kind of understand, after all a little flattery must increase the chance of a tip. But the two bus drivers, two check-out assistants and the random stranger I was chatting to at a bus stop??

I refer to it being assumed that I must be five to ten years younger than I am. I know, I know, at my age I should be glad of the mistake but I look in the mirror of a morning and see hair increasingly thinner and greying and a face with a few more lines than it had what seems like only a day or so ago.

Does this regularly happen to others? Have we as a society lost track of what sixty looks like these days? Do I so strongly radiate the aura of a kicked puppy people feel the need to be kind to me? Do I need to go have a good look at the portrait in my attic*??

Is there some weird social experiment going on? Am I trapped in some version of the Truman Show? Why does my jacket have the arms on backwards ................


*Problematical as I live in a ground floor maisonette

[Fenton]

Well people say I look mid 30's still, maybe its the trackie bottoms and t shirts I still wear..Of course this could also be older people saying this and their eyesight is going

[Ithoriel]

You don't look a day over twenty five Fenton ... where are my specs?

[Fenton]

I think your looking at a traffic bollard...I'm over here!

[Ace of Spades]

You've got nothing to worry about really... I'm 44 right now and the folks who work for me often ask me when I retire (the mandatory age in the Netherlands is still 65!). I like to think that is because they feel I work so hard but when I make 'em guess my age they try to be polite and estimate it at 55... The good thing is though that if I shave off my beard they usually give me a mere 40 so at least I know what to do about it. Then again; I really can't be bothered and like my beard way to much (the wife doesn't but hey; I had it when she married me! )

Cheers!
Rob

[Leon]

I still get asked for ID on the very rare occasions I buy alcohol or fireworks, and I'm 32 now... 

[sebigboss79]

Depends  in my case. Asian girls (and guys) in general take a fancy because I am tall and European (passport )

Since 2010 in Edinburgh 2 guys (one Asian) and 4 ladies (2 Asians) expressed her delight. But then again, guys are like wine. We get better, not older

[fsn]

I get asked to move along quite often.

[sebigboss79]

I get asked to move along quite often.

Oh well your damn Centurion IS a wee bit in the way my friend

[WeeWars]

Not that I'm 60 but I was asked to and did play a guy half my age at the King's Theatre, Edinburgh, last week. This has happened before and does have a bit of an identity crisis about it.

[Techno]

I like it when I see a photo of 'some bloke' in the paper which says something along the lines of "Ivan Alias, 49".....and he looks 10 years older than me.
Makes me feels LOADS better !! 
Cheers - Phil

[Hertsblue]

The U3A French group I belong to still thinks I retired early. The drawback to looking younger than your age is that people of your own generation think they can patronise you. It's quite enjoyable to slap down "You wouldn't remember the time England won the World Cup" with "I was there when the team came out on the hotel balcony with the cup, actually".