This picture is how I feel tonight after another reality check about the passage of time. I was walking Shelby on our evening constitutional when a cute puppy ran up to us wanting to play. I held the puppy until an even cuter Latina about 16 ran up to get him. She looked like she was made out of brown sugar and whipped butter and one of those girls so beautiful she actually pisses you off to be so old. She laughed and said her puppy slipped his leash. I handed her the puppy just as her equally beautiful friend came up, wearing shorts so tight that only Hispanic women can figure out how to get in them.

They thanked me and as they walked away they were talking in Spanish. The one was speaking in a faster Mexican Spanish and the other one with the puppy was speaking in a slower Spanglish I could catch. She was explaining to her friend how her puppy had slipped the leash and that 'buen viejo' had helped her. That would translate in 'nice old man'. I hear a couple more 'vijeo's' as they moved on.

Now the year before at the UPS store I had been called 'that old guy' when they didn't think I was within earshot. At least then they said "I bet he was hot when he was younger." This time there was no redeeming statement tag at the end. Plus 'old guy' still is a step above 'old man' to my ears. 'Old guy' still has an element of boyishness to it.

I went home and looked in the mirror and indeed saw a pretty old guy by any 16 year old's standards. I may have to shave off this beard! And understanding Spanish better hasn't done me any favors lately either.....