Music Can Never Make Me Feel Old

Earlier this month my friend Kate and I went to see Hall & Oats for the second time in a little more than a year. As usual, you forget how big their catalog is. As usual, they didn't disappoint.

And as usual, Kate and I people watched before the show. Among the many mismatched couples, odd clothing choices, and bad make up applications, one thing I noticed was that there was a good range of ages at the show. I saw teenagers, 20 and 30 somethings, people my own age, and people older and much older than me. Being the lifelong avid music lover, seeing this warmed my heart, because like Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said, "Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without." And here were many people of many ages who could not do without.

There had been an empty seat next to me, causing a separation between myself and what appeared to be about an 11 yr old girl and her mom, who looked around my age. Close to show time the husband/father showed up. He too appeared to be about my age, and immediately began wise cracking with me. Well anyone who knows me, knows I love this so we bantered back and forth a bit. It was all good.

And then it happened.

At one point he turned to me and the exchange went something like this:

Guy: "Wow, this really brings it all home, doesn't it?"
Me: "What does?"
Guy: "The age of the people here. Man, we're old!"
Me: "There are plenty of people older than me here."
Guy: (laughing) "Not by much!"
Me: *GLARE*
Guy: "Maybe not."

Ok, really?! Yeah, we didn't speak again.

Seems he failed to notice the white haired woman in her 60's sitting next to his wife. Seems he failed to notice the varying ages of the people in attendance, including his own daughter. Seems he failed to notice my obvious hotness. But more importantly, he failed to notice that music, and I think especially a live music event, should make you feel young spirited and enlivened, not "bring home" how aged you are. And sure enough, he didn't dance or clap or sing once. He totally missed the point of being there.

Daryl and John should give that guy his money back.