The Invisibility Phenomena - Page 1

This little story is kind of funny in a real life, ironic tragedy way.

I went to the packy store the other evening to buy some wine. I made my selections and went to the counter to pay. Two lovely looking young girls were working the cash registers. They were chatting away while they kept busy with some mundane task and handled the sales. 

I wasn't really paying too much attention to their conversation until I heard one of them say something like, "Oh yeah, I know! He's always complaining about these old biddies who think they are hipsters!"

Well, my brain just went, "What? Did I just hear that?"

So, when the girl started to process my debit card, I just said to her, very sociably, "You know, my son says that to me all the time! His mom 'is an old biddy who thinks she's a hipster!' "

The girl just kind of made some kind of hard to understand noises like, "Gulp, yeah, ha." 

I gave her a few moments, and then said, "It's okay! Lol, I was just teasing you!" She looked a bit more relieved, then.

So,  I admit it was fun to observe this girl's reaction to what I said. The reality that hit me however was that, indeed now, I am one of those women of a certain age who had become invisible. I am wondering what to do with this strange phenomena, now that I know I have it.

You are not alone.  I remember I was out window shopping with my mom who is 79 but looks like she is in her late 50's (lifts weights, goes polka dancing every single weekend with my dad, etc) and she was a model at one time, stunning looking woman.  We were in a shoe store and in the middle of helping my mom with her purchases, the two salesmen left to help three 20-somethings.  Really!!!!! 

I am in my early 50's and have been told I look like a hot 30 something cougar but get ignored for the 20 somethings by most men (wait staff, salesmen, etc).  Of course it could be my self confidence (20+ years of paramedic/firefighter makes me not tolerant of lazy arrogant incometence) which could make most nervous.  I know that ageism is a growing blight on the social scene.  If you are over 20, you are old, if you are over 50, you are invisible.  Just listen to the responses of most when a person in their 60's or 70's has issues with intimacy.  It's like after 50 you should disappear and have NO needs.  It is a shame........