It was an exciting week. I was asked to join my friend, who was turning 92 years old, in an excursion to a neighboring casino to celebrate her birthday. She had wanted to do this last year, but was in poor health. This year, I couldn't wait to accompany her and see her long awaited wish come true and to celebrate the fact that she had lived to see another year. A party of four was formed which included my best friend (her daughter), my mother-in-law and the two of us. What fun we had as we drove the hour long trip through windy mountain roads, visiting and giggling the entire time.
There was an atmosphere of excitement as we drove into the parking lot of the giant hotel/casino near Yosemite. I think it must be something they pump into the air as you enter Indian territory. My friend, Lee, must have felt it too. She was chomping at the bit to get her hands on a one-armed bandit. I was afraid we might skip lunch and cut short the wonderful time we were having because the pull was so tremendous.
First thing's first... find a parking spot. Thank goodness my friend was 92 and qualified for a handicapped parking spot. It just so happens I have a plaque for my daughter and was thrilled that we would be able to utilize it and park close to the vacuum of adventure. The first clue that I had entered a time-warp should have been apparent when I took note of the many parking spots painted blue. Space after space of wheelchair accessible spots were lined up with most of them occupied. I had arrived at Senior Central. Who else is available to pour money into big noisy boxes in the middle of the day? I felt a twitch developing on the right side of my face.
After unloading my friend's walker and stretching our legs, it was agreed upon that we would indeed reinforce our stamina by trying out one of the many beautiful restaurants that were built along the parameter of the casino. Our choice, the never ending International Buffet. I was deep in conversation over how we would all be contributing to Lee's birthday lunch when the waitress asked an offsetting question, "How many here are seniors... over 50?" All four of us raised our hands and all eyes were on me.
A senior? When did that happen? Just last month I was being asked for my driver's license when I bought a bottle of wine at the grocery store. It didn't matter that California was just finding an easy way to enforce the law. I was "carded", that's all that mattered. Now I found myself sitting in a gigantic building full of walkers and wheelchairs and I had become one of "them". A senior. The very thing I swore I would always honor and admire from a distance, but never partake in. Life is funny, don't you think?
So, am I old? Never! The famous saying, "You are only as old as you feel," was written by someone who just received their first senior discount. Will I ever visit the place of my first crashing piece of twilight realism? Of course, they had an amazing buffet!
