I was going into a building and a little old lady (white hair, kerchief, cane) was just coming out. I opened the rather heavy doors for her.
She smiled and said “Thank you dear, I really appreciate it.”
I’ve still got it! I look young enough to be called “dear”!
Sorry to burst your bubble, but I’ve heard old people call other old people “dear” plenty of times…
A checkout clerk (a very young man) at the pharmacy I frequent calls me “Miss.” I hated that title when I was young. It’s rather silly now at my age (54). And it doesn’t flatter me.
I live in the deep south of the U.S.of A. Everybody down here is “dear”, “sugar”, “honey”, “sweetie” “precious” and other nauseating terms. The thing to watch out for is a “Bless Your Heart.”
Plus, through her cataractous lenses you likely appeared basically humanoid.
I once looked old enough to be given a senior’s discount. Any chance you can send that little old lady my way, so I can hold a door open for her too?
Yeah, I remember getting that discount years before I should have. Now, I get it automatically, they don’t even bother to ask.
On the flip side, I’m apparently old enough now to be called “Dear” by the tattooed 20-something girl working the register at Jack in the Box.
She was hitting on you.
StG
Oh hell yeah here in the Deep South “Bless Your Heart” makes the “C” word look tame.
Which is a good thing here on the Dope because I can just say “Bless your heart” instead .
Nah, I’ve been in the restaurant business for 30 years, and I can recognize the patronizing “dears” and “honeys” that waitresses reserve for “old” customers.
Now I’m getting paranoid – I the other day was getting onto a city bus in heavy rain behind a few gals with big backpacks on, and the bus driver (she recognized me) said “Are you all together?” I said no we are not, and then after being invited by bus driving lady to get on in board, I said, “Hey, I’m going to squeeze behind you, sweetie” to the girl somehow struggling to figure out that baffling concept of transportation we call civilization.
I was only maybe eight years older than that chick but I call everyone female dearie, sweetie, but never honey. Not dollface or babe but maybe little sister or cutie. This is a 35 year old white man talking, gainfully employed, not from the south. Let it slide, I think – people just talk how they want to get across, friendly or what not.
Do they still make the Breakfast Jack? Yum.