50 sense

For a period of years in the seventies the legal drinking age was 18. I turned 18 in January of my senior year in high school. I rushed to the local liquor store to buy some booze legally for the first time. I still remember going to the cash register with my bottle of Sloe Gin anxious to yank out my I.D. The clerk didn't bat an eye as he took my money and he didn't ask to see my I.D. I was both disappointed and excited. Disappointed that he didn't ask, yet excited that I looked old enough.

Yesterday I met some work friends at Furr's cafeteria for lunch. We were comparing our receipts and questioning why they differed when it was an all-you-can-eat situation. The top of my receipt said senior. I was given the senior discount! I was both disappointed and excited. Disappointed that I looked old enough, yet excited about the perks to come with "senior discounts".