As I get older it is harder for me to decipher people's ages. Sure they look under 20, maybe they look a few years past 50, but targeting someone's exact age is merely impossible: especially if you are short. At 5'2 and about 110 pounds I have the build of a 12-year-old boy. I try to glance back at old pictures, five years ago to be exact, and I still have maintained the same look. I just haven't changed much. I guess I should be joyous in the fact that I maintain the youth that others yearn for, but I have to admit that it has become annoying. I may be short, but I am old enough to drive, old enough to drink and yes I am out of school (not just high school). I guess I can only blame myself for my mistaken identity as a teen, there are not many 22-year-old life guards out there, but really I am leaning on the breaking point of having to defend my age. The day I have to whip out my drivers license to prove it...will be the day that my caged rage is set free. Today is not yet that day, but I want to share the few experiences that I have had in the past few weeks.
First, let me explain that I work at the same pool as four of my siblings (all of which are younger). Mark is four years younger than I am, and was recently asked if he was 24 years old. That is what I do not understand. He is about 5'8 and a strong build, but where do they find it in the age system to mistake him as my OLDER 24-year-old brother? I was later asked when I was going to get my license. Bite me.
A few days ago I was sitting at the empty pool, minding my own business and reading yet another novel. Two guys walked in with shameless beer bellies and a cooler that was filled with (you guessed it) beer. They glanced over at me and made some idiotic remark about how "busy" the pool was. I politely laughed and hoped that they would just leave me alone. That didn't happen. The yelled across the pool, asking: "You wanna beer?!" They chuckled afterwords, probably thinking that they were being so hilarious asking the 15-year-old lifeguard if she wanted to drink an alcoholic beverage when she is so obviously underage. I smiled and said "No thank you, not right now." They didn't see my secret scowl that I hid under my sunglasses (thank you dark tinted ones). Later, when the storm was about to wash over the pool (YAY!) they asked if I could have one now because it was going to rain. I simply stated that I don't drink on the job. They were stunned. They laughed, but looked at me with that odd look saying "Huh?" I wanted to just tell them how old I was, but how do you bring something like that up? And really, does it matter? I guess not. Maybe one day I will look back on these days and laugh, praising God that I don't look like a 35 year-old...or maybe not.
So, it just occured to me that short people can not and will not age. I will remain the same size as I was in 9th grade, and I guess I better accept it. I am sure other people would die to retain the same shape as their scrawny 9th grade self, but I am still dealing with the fact that being short automatically makes me immature and naive. Boy, do I have news for you.
Enough of my ranting and raving. I feel better.
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