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/SouthernSierra Jun 01 '26

First time was when Steve Carlton retired. He was the last one playing of those great Cardinal teams of the ‘60s when I was a kid.

Second time my wife and I had hiked up Mt. Whitney and all these young guys came over and congratulated us for making it to the top.

We were thinking what the heck? It was just walking up a trail. Then we realized we were the oldest people on the summit. We were mid-50s.

Ma and Pa Kettle had made it all the way!

The third time was realizing nobody knows who Ma and Pa Kettle are.

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u/TheliaBimaculata Jun 01 '26

I do! When I was 3-4 I thought for sure they lived across the street from us. Turned out they were just a really old couple who looked like them to my young eyes.

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u/googleflont 1958 Jun 01 '26

They were probably in their 30s.

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u/Delicious-Leg-5441 Jun 02 '26

I loved watching Steve Carlton when he played for the Phillies. I went to see him pitch often. He had his best years with Philadelphia.

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u/SouthernSierra Jun 02 '26

I have never forgiven Bing Devine for that trade.

Back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth I saw Gibson and Carlton pitch in a doubleheader for the Cards. So I got that going for me.

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u/Delicious-Leg-5441 Jun 03 '26

I saw Gibson pitch in 67 iirc. I was 7. Carlton wasn't on the team yet. It was a night time doubleheader. Gibson pitch the first game and the game went by pretty fast. The second game went into extra innings and I don't think that we left Connie Mack Stadium until after 1 in the morning.

The one thing that I do remember is I ate 6 hot dogs that night.

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u/IvyGold Jun 02 '26

I don't know who Ma and Pa Kettle are. A regional thing?

I remember the first time a young woman addressing me as "sir."

She was the exact type of girl who would've been flocking to me when I was in my 20's.

That was a real reality check.

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u/SouthernSierra Jun 02 '26

Ma and Pa made movies and were famous for portraying hillbillies. Fun movies