Last night I take a trip to Macey's to pick up a few necessary groceries to last me for the undeterminable future. I didn't need a lot, just the bares (milk, cereal, pasta, and of course various cheeses). The shopping in itself was uneventful, but as I approached the checkout counter the cashier was a nice young girl as cute as can be. She looked very young, and since there wasn't any discount involved I didn't feel it necessary to put forth my whimsical charm. Besides, after last weekend I've started to feel my own mortality and wonder if I've lost a few steps in that regard. I quietly put my things on the counter for her to ring up. Then the following:
Cashier: How are you?Me: I'm well, thank you.I thought that was it, but then...
Cashier: So did you have fun this weekend?Me: Yeah, I did.I knew what was next...
Cashier: Really? What did you do?Now I knew where this could go. I could see it a mile away. I had two choices. I could go on and explain how I just celebrated my birthday which of course would lead to how old I am, or I could just tell her I partied till I puked and leave it at that. I obviously didn't think about this enough...
Me: Well I had my birthday over the weekend, and...Cashier: Your birthday? Sounds fun!...here it comes...
Cashier: So how old did you turn?Me (slightly hesitant): Well I turned 30....let it sink in...
Cashier: Oh... 30?... wow.You can imagine her reaction wasn't celebratory. She tried to mask it as such, but I knew the truth, and so did a few of her surrounding coworkers because they started snickering at her. I saw a golden opportunity and put on my acting face as she put on her red face.
Me: Oh... so that's how it is eh?Cashier: No no no no no. It's fine, you see, I'm young, I'm only 17...Me: Are you trying to make me feel better?Now the snickers turned into full blown laughs.
Cashier (more red): No, I mean, well, no of course not. I feel so bad.Me: For me? Forget it girlie. I've heard 'em all. I'm taking my Pedialyte and going home.Everyone else can see through my sarcasm, except her. Maybe she's just playing it safe, thinking I might be kidding but not wanting to risk it in the workplace.
All ends well. I pick up my bags, give her a wink and a smile, and quietly thank her for making my day. She smiled back, but was still pretty red.
So, out of my twenties now for a couple days and I have my first brush with the reality of my age. It was bittersweet. I probably should have shuffled out instead of walked out. That poor girl...
And perhaps now I can stop having nightmares about Audrey II's growing to take over the house. 
Note: for those who don't know, that is the real ending to Little Shop of Horrors (YouTube it, even the movie has an alternate ending). The plants grow and multiply and take over the world, and everyone dies. Hence the song goes: 
