I am 53 years old, I think (my memory is going so I may actually be 54,)  and I’ve lost my dreams.  Seriously, what is left to look forward to; menopause?  Speaking of menopause;  it doesn’t feel like any type of “pause” when you’re in the middle of it.  Once, years ago I foolishly looked forward to it;  No more cramping, periods, leaks and mishaps.  Oh, and let’s not forget mood swings.  Actually you can’t forget them because they hit like a vengeance during menopause.  Life is a series of stages and I sure as hell hope this is one of them since a stage will eventually end.

So far eating at the Denny’s near our home (and a huge retirement area) is the only thing giving me hope that I will get through this stage.  My husband and I are usually the youngest people in there.  This in itself doesn’t give me hope, it’s the old (that definition changes a lot now) patrons sharing the space with us that does.  I especially love it when the Bingo crowd comes in, and they’re never alone.  They always seem to be in a good mood.  I’m not sure what it is about Bingo but apparently it’s one of the times when having your number called is cause for excessive joy.  These “older” groups come in laughing and talking as if their lives are full of excitement.  The other day there were even a few couples that expounded on the quality of beers, and which ones they should order.  I didn’t even know they served beer at Denny’s.  On another visit to Denny’s we were gifted with a minstrel show.  This old guy came in wearing what can best be described as a Jimmy Buffett outfit, including the hat.  All the waiters and waitresses knew him by name and called out to him in a way that made it clear this was a regular.  Oh, and I forgot, he was also carrying his guitar.  After cacophony of excited hellos, he began to walk around playing his guitar and singing.   I want to be him if I manage to get through this stage!

Unfortunately it’s not all uplifting at Denny’s.  Just the other day, there was a grumpy old man who came in and sat alone.  He sat right in the middle of the dining area and it seemed that nothing could lift up his mood!  First, he ordered a meal and it came with something he didn’t expect.  The argument with his waiter that issued was like watching a teenager, who thinks he knows everything, throwing a fit when he doesn’t get what he wants.  This is a dire sign.

You’ve probably heard the saying that the children become the parents of their aging relatives.  If this is true, and we revert to our childhood in old age, do we also have to live through our teens again?  Follow along here.  If, we compare the “old” patrons at Denny’s, a disturbing revelation can be deduced.  First, you have the wild kids.  They come in making a scene, laughing and talking and ordering their beer!  They’re the partiers who go out dancing, gambling, and in general love themselves.  These can easily be compared to the cheerleaders, football players, and “popular” kids we knew as teens.  Then there are the grumpy loners.  These are the teens that didn’t fit in, became bullies or bullied, or (maybe even worse) simply disappeared.

If any of this is true, I hope that my “new teen” years are better than my previous ones.  If nothing else, I hope I still have a friend willing to commiserate with me.