When you actually realize that you're getting older...

I rarely think about getting older. What with my "take it as it goes" thinking which often leads me to cram even though I really hate the idea, Well, it doesn't leave much else to think about. Except of course, when circumstances leave you with heaps of free time like now. Thanks to a certain typhoon (supertyphoon really) who shall remain nameless, from Wednesday up till the day after tomorrow (pun intended), I don't have classes.

The last time this happened, well, there actually WERE classes, no matter how hard it was to get to school (there was no electricity and running water at home at that time so thanks big-time to the person who took me in. You know who you are...) and lets just say, I had a much easier time now. Then again, said typhoon (who still shall remain nameless) did not hit directly like the last time.

Anyway, yesterday, I became painfully aware that I definitely am getting old. And not just because my age no longer bears the "teen" suffix. I was supposed to get my license yesterday. Because of stupid idiotic circumstances beyond my control (and knowledge in fact), I was unable to get that done. Even worse, the person whom I was supposed to talk to (girl estimated to be in her mid-twenties) had an irritable temper like the weather that day. The older woman I talked to after her was much better to talk to (renewed respect for elders that day).

Seeing as no matter what I did, I wouldn't get my license that day, I decided to at least making the day productive by making a small deposit. Productive it was. I was able to make a deposit but before that, I had to go through a few puddles. Yes, puddles that were as deep as my foot, add to that the swarm of cars speeding by and you've got yourself an instant "people-wash". Hence, I looked like a person who just got out of the shower with his clothes on. I'm sure the people in the bank understood. I can't let the stuff inside my bag get wet anyway. Did I mention that the water in the "people-wash part 1" was a murky brown? After the bank trip, it was another "people-wash" to get to the mall. At least the second time, the water was a bit clearer.

The mall was the normal hustle-and-bustle you would normally see on a Sunday. Why wouldn't it be? No classes for students and some workers, half-day for some of the rest, most of them apparently took to shopping to forget the rain. So there I was, walking around in my lonesome, thinking of a way to get dry without catching a cold. Oh yeah. Smart Telecommunications recently launched their DVB-H (mobile TV) service called myTV. I'm not gonna tackle that here though. The part I want to talk about is the part where people approach you about the new services they offer. At other times, its insurance, credit cards, you know, the works.

What makes me realize that I'm getting older is that they don't entertain kids. I've been there. Most of the people in exhibits (except kid-related exhibits) would have less patience talking to kids than adults. Probably since its usually the adults that carry the cash. Thing is, I don't know if anyone realizes this, but customer-care centers expect the customer to be a grown-up. Don't believe me? I shall then provide a sample dialogue from three years ago:

sometime 3 years ago (concern about malfunctioning phone)
(previous dialogue was about details regarding said phone)
customer care person (ccp [no relation to CCP in Roxas]): Sir, before we continue, may I ask your age?
me: Age? I'm seventeen.
ccp: Really? 17 ka pa lang? (tone changes slightly)
me: Yep. So, about the phone...

Not like that's going to happen again anytime soon. Back to the story.

I don't know how being drenched in the rain made me look. But apparently, it made people think I had a lot of moolah on my hands. The girls demoing the mobile TV service was all over getting me to sign-up for a line. Well, as long as she's interested, no harm in talking right? I managed to learn enough to figure out that the service is not for me yet. Although the channels are interesting, I don't log-in too many hours in front of the tube. Not bad to talk to though.

For that day, there were two final major symptoms that I'm getting older. First is the persistent pain in my foot which I would guess is from walking around in flat slippers and flooded walkways all day, and the fact that I chipped my tooth over lunch which meant I needed an emergency dentist appointment (thanks to Dentista.inc for my dental work)

That was probably the worst day of my life so far. Which reminded me that I said that line many times before, so I really am getting older. But the pain from the dentist's chair really hit the mark. No matter, the dentist was good. Teeth hurt no more.

By the way, today, my birthday was pretty uneventful. Which is great considering what happened yesterday. Thanks to all the people who greeted me, some I never even realized would remember. Still, that simple greeting made me smile a little bit more today.

(By the way, I really am laughing over most of what happened yesterday. Except for the not getting my license part grrr... since I didn't get sick over being soaked to the bone in an air-conditioned mall) Hehehehe....

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