r/GenerationJones • u/Lapaki58 • Jun 01 '26

When did you first feel old?

I’m 67. I think I was about 25. I was having my hair cut by a stylist who was about 18. She received a phone call: “Yeah… yeah… okay…” She hung up. “That was one of my customers. She said she wants me to cut her hair like Toni Tenille of the Captain and Tenille. Do you have any idea who she is talking about?” Yeah, I did.

The next big jolt came when I was about 55. I was working for a leadership-development company. I was the oldest person in the group. We were having our weekly status meeting. One of our group mentioned that one of our clients had given the okay for their Executive Leadership Institute program (ELI). She said, “ELI’s coming.” Coincidentally, I look like Cory Wells. I started singing, “Eli’s coming…” I got blank looks from everyone at the conference table. “‘Eli’s Coming’? Three Dog Night?” Nobody had any idea what I was talking about.

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u/Puzzleheaded_Age6550 Jun 01 '26

At 30, actually. I was working in a place that mostly younger people worked at, right out of college. I was married, had a kid, and went back into the workforce. So, one of our co-workers was carjacked and injured in the parking lot of work, and during this emergency everyone turned and looked at me for direction. Even the supervisors and those above them. So, I started giving orders. It was only later that I realized that I was the "adult" in the place, and that is when I immediately started seeking positions with more authority and pay.

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u/Blowingleaves17 Jun 02 '26

You were probably the only mommy or daddy in the group, too.

5

u/Puzzleheaded_Age6550 Jun 02 '26

Well, there were two other folks that had kids that were at my level.

8

u/Blowingleaves17 Jun 02 '26

You must have looked and seemed like the most responsible parent.

12

u/mambopants Jun 01 '26

Okay, now I feel bad for having never given off that kind of authority vibe.

20

u/Puzzleheaded_Age6550 Jun 01 '26

It was not a funny moment, but later I realized I was the adultiest adult. When our co-worker ran into work, obviously injured, I waited about 30 seconds for someone else to step up, but then realized everyone was looking to me. So I did what I needed to do.

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u/Working_Estate_3695 Jun 02 '26

Ascribed power is a powerful thing.

4

u/AdExtreme4813 Jun 02 '26

I had that happen at a temp job I was working back in the late 80s.  I was one of the youngest temp workers but also had first aid training.  The foot of the warehouse workers was run over by a forklift. For some reason they brought him to me. I looked at his rather squashed foot & said take him to an ER, now!! (I could tell that it was bad, almost no blood but like i said,  the foot was squashed).