Eric Mayer

This week I took my second step toward official geezerdom. I took my initial step (I am tempted to call it my "baby step" but how inappropriate that would be!) five years ago, after I turned fifty. That's when I participated in the traditional American coming-of-advanced-age ritual, the first free coffee at Wal-Mart.

On Tuesday, when I trundled my groceries up to the checkout, the clerk (who was more ancient even than I) asked if I was 55? I had, in fact, "celebrated" that very birthday last month. On learning she'd guessed correctly that I had one foot in the grave, she gave me $7 off my order. Some consolation.

After I got home it started to worry me. I've never looked my age. She hadn't so much as asked to see an ID. Heck, I was carded, buying beer, when I was forty. Well, that grocery store clerk was about eleven and probably thought anyone over the age of puberty was Methuselah, but still....

Then a happy thought occurred. "Wait a minute," I told Mary. "Tuesday is senior citizens discount day at the store! That's why she asked."

That and maybe all my the gray in my hair and the white in my beard.

There are six other days in the week to shop. I think I'll start going on Thursdays instead. When I am an old man I will not buy groceries on Tuesday.

Eric Mayer Byzantine Blog Probably the only vaguely interesting thing about me is that with my wife, Mary Reed, I co-author the John the Eunuch mystery series set in sixth century Constantinople. But that doesn't stop me from dwelling here on the boring minutiae of the rest of my life, present and past, along with the occasional word about writing.
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Previous Entry :: Next Entry Read/Post Comments (4) Eric's Website Poisoned Pen Press There is no pleasure to me without communication: there is not so much as a sprightly thought comes into my mind that it does not grieve me to have produced alone, and that I have no one to tell it to. --Michel de Montaigne		2005-02-18 9:40 AM If This Is Tuesday I Must Be A Geezer This week I took my second step toward official geezerdom. I took my initial step (I am tempted to call it my "baby step" but how inappropriate that would be!) five years ago, after I turned fifty. That's when I participated in the traditional American coming-of-advanced-age ritual, the first free coffee at Wal-Mart. On Tuesday, when I trundled my groceries up to the checkout, the clerk (who was more ancient even than I) asked if I was 55? I had, in fact, "celebrated" that very birthday last month. On learning she'd guessed correctly that I had one foot in the grave, she gave me $7 off my order. Some consolation. After I got home it started to worry me. I've never looked my age. She hadn't so much as asked to see an ID. Heck, I was carded, buying beer, when I was forty. Well, that grocery store clerk was about eleven and probably thought anyone over the age of puberty was Methuselah, but still.... Then a happy thought occurred. "Wait a minute," I told Mary. "Tuesday is senior citizens discount day at the store! That's why she asked." That and maybe all my the gray in my hair and the white in my beard. There are six other days in the week to shop. I think I'll start going on Thursdays instead. When I am an old man I will not buy groceries on Tuesday. Read/Post Comments (4) Previous Entry :: Next Entry Back to Top