Grow Up

Rick Santorum sat behind me in homeroom in high school. I'm not a fan, being the bleeding heart liberal that I am. But it is disconcerting to think that my high school class might be running the country. President Obama is, in fact, a few years younger than me. Do you ever feel like you're not really a grown up?

My grandchildren's birthday parties are a mixture of kids and adults, and while I always spend some time visiting with all the other grown-ups, I would much prefer hanging out with the kids. The last party was at a bowling alley, and my 7-year-old granddaughter urged me to put on some bowling shoes and join her on the wood floor for some tap dancing. Now, that girl knows how to have fun!

I was 36 when I became the owner of a small business. I knew all the people at the local bank by name, and was in there almost on a daily basis. One day the teller, as she was taking my deposit, asked me, "So, are they nice people to work for?" I asked her, "Who?" She answered, "The owners of the travel agency." I told her I was the owner and her jaw dropped.

When I was married, we would occasionally entertain my ex-husband's clients when a deal closed. I remember distinctly one evening when we were at one of the most expensive restaurants in our city. You know the kind, where they ask if you would like spring or sparkling water and you just feel tacky making your guests drink tap water. There were two clients, one woman and her husband, and one man and his wife. They were all at least ten years younger than me. The men all had on dress slacks and sweaters, and the two women were very conservatively dressed, both in black. Like grown-up ladies. I had on a pink and purple dress and purple animal print high heels. It was the first time they all had met me. During dinner, everyone was talking business in general terms, and the ups and downs of the deal in specifics. I would chime in the conversation when it seemed appropriate. At one point, I made some comment, and I noticed everyone looking at me and smiling. I wasn't quite sure why they were, because I wasn't making a joke, and then both women almost simultaneously said, "Ahhhh!" and one of them looked at my ex-husband and said, "Your wife is so cute!" I wasn't trying to be cute. Cute is just not something on my to-do list. I sort of felt like a bunny or a kitten, then I decided to simply take it as a compliment.

The food was excellent and the service superb, and the clients were sufficiently impressed. No one else had room for dessert, but I always do. That is because I save room for it as I am eating my dinner. Always save room for dessert. And tap dance in bowling shoes any chance you get.

Susan