Somewhere Between Young and Old

I was sitting in a coffee shop the other day having a cup of Milo when a group of teenagers swept in. They were obviously having a good time, laughing and chatting away as they waited for their drinks to come. As I watched them, they reminded me of my teenage years. I was like them - no responsibilities, no problems, not a care in the world.

Time has certainly sped by very quickly. I may never be sixteen again but I'm thankful that at my age (which I'm not disclosing, sufficient to say I'm somewhere between "young" and "old"), I can still drive a car, walk long distances and line dance! True, my eyesight is not as good as it was and my tummy doesn't always behave but that's the reality of the situation and I have to accept it. Nobody wants to grow old but aging is something which no one can escape.

There are times when I can swear I have put the house keys in the drawer but when I look, they're not there. The other day, a letter mysteriously disappeared and up till today, I have not found it. My car keys also do a disappearing trick every now and then and after going up and down the stairs umpteen times to search for them, I find them in my handbag! My specs too play naughty games with me, one moment they're there, the next they have vanished! Life does get more complicated now!

On the other hand, I find that people are paying more attention to me. They open doors for me and stand aside for me to go in first. They politely call me "Aunty" (though I would prefer they call me "Sister" which is what locals usually address ladies inbetween "young" and "old"; well, so long as they don't call me "Ah Ee" or "Ah Poh"!). Sometimes I even get a better discount than most people on something I buy! People also seem genuinely concerned when I'm in distress and are eager to help.

So it's not altogether that bad. I don't always like what I see in the mirror everyday but who cares? Oh, there's just one little regret - I can't get to wear stiletto heels - they're too dangerous for me unless I want to risk falling flat on my face!