# I have no real age! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 14, 2006, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-no-real-age/360721 "2006-06-14T18:41:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mrald](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@mrald](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrald)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2006, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-no-real-age/360721/1 "2006-06-14T18:41:46Z")
I was at the grocery store toady, doing my normal shopping and I caught myself joking with an older lady about the rising cost of beef. I walked away somewhat amused, I work in a nursing home and older people are my main source of conversation. Then at the checkout, the middle aged lady and I discussed the best choice of check s (duplicate or no). Then as the bag boy loaded the groceries into my car (yes they still do that here, welcome to Mayberry, sidewalks roll up at 6 p.m. sharp), we discussed car audio systems and Eminem’s latest rapper protégé. As I drove home it hit me, I just talked to three people, three different age groups, and had something to say to all of them. At first I was proud of my conversational skills, but the closer to home I got, I started thinking that I have no real age identity. I have never really fit in with the people that are my age. My closest friends right now are close to 30 and 40. Now my brain goes from, wow I got skills, to depressed because I don’t know what people my age really talk about or do. I missed the college experience of dorms and frat parties, though I am extending my education now, and I partied hard very young and am so over that now. I am old before my time! But still to young to be old…gahh, maybe I will just go to bed and wake up the age I am meant to be. ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2006, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-no-real-age/360721/2 "2006-06-14T19:41:07Z")
I wouldn’t concern myself with it too much. I did my heaviest partying before I was old enough to drink as well, and I had a significant tendency to identify much better with people who were older than I was. Back in the BBS days when I ran one I would often get surprised comments from the older callers that chatted with me when they learned of my age. I took it as a compliment. Now that I’m approaching the middle of my 30s I realize that although I still consider myself fairly bright I no longer feel _special_ in the same way I did back then – like I had something other kids my age didn’t. Now I just sort of feel fairly average. Not that it bothers me much – frankly I don’t really even think about it except around here, confronted as I am with so many people who frankly are much more brilliant than I. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2006, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-no-real-age/360721/3 "2006-06-14T20:04:13Z")
[QUOTE=mrald] I was at the grocery store toady . . . [/QUOTE] Your grocery store has only one toady? ---
**Author:** ![mrald](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@mrald](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrald)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-no-real-age/360721/4 "2006-06-15T04:32:07Z")
[QUOTE=panache45] Your grocery store has only one toady? [/QUOTE] :smack: No two, but he was off **today**