Every Monday afternoon I tutor a 3rd grade boy in math and reading as part of a one-on-one tutoring program run by Fort Wayne Community Schools. We usually have a pretty good conversation while he's eating his snack, before we start work. Ordinarily I enjoy these little exchanges but this one left me wondering. A couple of weeks ago we were talking about age and my student asked me how old I was. I told him "I'm 73 years old. I know that probably seems really old to you." to which he replied, leaning close and gently patting my arm, "I don't mean to be rude or anything, but I think you look about a hundred." Ouch!!! Ouch!!! Ouch!!! I just laughed it off, didn't smack him or anything, but, wow, what a blow to the ego.
Thinking about it later, I remembered several teachers in my life (probably in their 40s and 50s) who seemed positively ancient to me. I don't remember actually ever telling any of them that they looked old but I thought it. I guess what goes around, comes around.
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