smells like i'm old
May 07, 2006, 5:53 pm

I *love* being the youngest person in a room when I go out. I adore looking around a crowded bar and being able to say, "Yup, most of these people graduated high school WAY before me" or "Man, I could be their daughter!" And despite the fact that Harley and Sam are younger than me, last night out at a local watering hole seeing Sam's Mom's band play, I felt pretty confident that the entire population of the room I was in was WAY older than me and therefore not as knowledgable or hip to the newer jams the band was playing. The middle-aged folks downing gimlets and other "old people" drinks in that little Greek bar had nothing on me, no sir.

The guitarist was very, very good. He was impressive as the band played their 70s classics; he rocked with Harry Anderson hair (which prompted Thumper to turn to me at one point and slur, "Honey, wasn't that dude on Night Court?") and noodled his way through some 80s fun.

"This next song will make everyone here feel 16 again," he said, getting ready to rock, "Well, *chuckle* at least MOST of us."

I was prepared for some Pink Floyd song that my sister likes, or something my dad made me listen to ad infinitum while growing up; something classic rock stations spin on the weekends to let the 40 year-olds jam and run their fingers through their thinning hair. Something by Sabbath or Kiss or Styx...

And then the band launched into "Smells Like Teen Spirit."

And the entire place was rocking.

And I slowly realized that these old people in the room with me were only 2-3 years older than me. They weren't OLD...they were 30.

Don't get snippy with me, person about to write me an angry email, because if you are about to respond, you've either come to terms with your age at this point or you're way younger than me and have no idea what I'm talking about.

Thumper turns 28 on Saturday; I'm not too far behind him. It's a good age, I think, but does it have to sound so far beyond where I thought I'd be by now?