Have you aged well ?


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A few months ago I was walking in West Bridgford when a man approached and said “Did you used to live in Clifton ?’   I didn’t recognise him at all - seemed to be a complete stranger. He explained that in the 1960s his father ran a greengrocers shop on Clifton near where we lived, and sometimes he helped (as a boy) in his father’s shop.

 

He would’ve occasionally seen me in the shop when I was young enough to be dragged along by my mother, but that hasn’t happened for quite a long time.  After a bit of mental arithmetic, I concluded he hadn’t seen me for at least 50 years (and even back then only occasionally) but he recognised me at random in the street. 

 

I don’t think I’d recognise someone who I knew slightly, 50 years ago, and hadn’t seen since that time. I'm now wondering how much my appearance has changed since I was at junior school.

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From what I've seen of your photos, CT, you have rather striking features and you look very much like your mother. The man you encountered possibly knew your mum quite well as, presumably, she did most of the shopping. Maybe that's how he made the connection.

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Maybe it's a retail thing . You got used to seeing people .

We have been retired for nearly 9 years and yet when I drive through our town , I can recognise people from behind  , maybe just the way they walk ! .....won't know their name but just know who they are .

 

Conversely , a lot of our old regulars now don't recognise us , as we are out of the familiar surrounding that they were used to seeing us in i.e. the shop .

Others do though and just the other day we were having a coffee in a newish pub and a lovely girl ,  well lady  , well now actually a grandmother , recognised us said how she missed the shop and then reeled off some of the things that she had bought from us and still owned .

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1 hour ago, Jill Sparrow said:

Although he doesn't like to show his face, think of the number of people who must know Ben! And that's only the male customers!

An' I  bet that's  only husbands !!

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'Have you aged well? '. What is the standard we're comparing ourselves with?  (Sorry about the preposition at the end of the sentence, but it sounded better that way!)

When  I was young, many people thought that becoming 40 was the beginning of the downhill slope and just accepted that they should dress and act accordingly.   But things keep changing ...it's said that "50 is the new 40" and now I've heard that it's 60!   The current middle aged population (40 - 50?) no longer accepts the former age constraints  when it comes to fashion, leisure activities and general mindset. 

Our mental attitude will affect how we act, and often how well we appear to other people, so (up to a point!) age IS just a number.   The goalposts just keep being moved but of course the field does have a boundary..... I'll let you know when I get there!

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Have I aged well?

 

Well, it's impossible for me to generalise. Depends which bit(s)  are under consideration.. My brain seems to be fully functional - has some episodes of pure inspiration, even now. Other parts not nearly as youthful. My heart is far from having any youthfullness (on six or seven different items of medication to keep it going) and my joints, especially lower limbs and now arms and hands, are increasingly arthritic.

 

I have been unable to walk for a number of years now and I get angry wishing to do all the things my brain tells me that I should do but the physical part of my body tells me I can't.

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Watched 2 hours of Billy Connolly last night,,,talking about his life....Always liked him,,,the only comedian who can swear and still make it funny.....He's 77 now and has had surgery for Prostate Cancer and suffers from Parkinsons Disease.

He talked about his early years growing up in one of my favourite Cities,, Glasgow....i have spent a lot of time working up there and love the place,,,especially the humour of its people...Billy has been a remarkable man,,,,Comedian,,Actor and Musician,,,and he spoke Candidly about being at the wrong end of life,,,,his mind seemed as sharp as ever,,but he admitted 'it was not'....he seems to be facing his final years with great fortitude and no little humour,,,and yes in my opinion he has aged well....

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19 hours ago, Jill Sparrow said:

From what I've seen of your photos, CT, you have rather striking features and you look very much like your mother. The man you encountered possibly knew your mum quite well as, presumably, she did most of the shopping. Maybe that's how he made the connection.

 

That reminds me of another point in my meeting with him.

 

He specifically said that he also remembered my mother and sister from seeing them in the shop (either together or separately). That amazed me even more than him recognising me in the first place.

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That doesn't surprise me. He probably remembered the family resemblance. People used to walk up to my mum when she was in her 60s, before she left the Bobbers Mill area, and would name her correctly, stating she had been at Berridge Road School with them.  My mother had the immediately recognisable facial bone structure of the Saunt family. It has been a great help to me in identifying photographs of ancestors from her side of the family, even though I didn't know who they were.

 

Maybe, your mum has the same trait, CT, and she's passed it on to you.

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I was a hairdresser and can remember all the customers and how often they used to have their appointments. As for school friends I also remember them and have bumped into quite a few over the years. Here I can't remember anyone unless they bump into me. :wacko:

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You're lucky Nonna, I can't remember why I just logged in here.......LOL

 

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I was sat in Boowul Wethies a couple of years back.. waiting for our Ben to turn up..  A bloke sat opposite who I thought I recognised, but hadn't seen since about 1966.  I approached him and asked outright.  He was who I thought he was.

 

It does happen.

 

Of course it's difficult for me, because I don't look a day older than I did when I was 21.

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I am one of the lucky ones on here. 1938 vintage and still very active. No medication. I must confess that I work on it though. Regular exercise (5 mile rowing this morning). Out fishing and working on fisheries every week. Dress smartly and kept mentally busy with my new business and ideas. Of all the things that keep us young and well, I reckon that feeling good about ourselves is the most important.

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  • 2 years later...

It's now happened again, with a different person.

 

A couple of days ago I was recognised in the street by someone who I’d had not seen for almost 50 years.

 

I knew him all through my school years (5 - 18) but I’d had no contact with him since then.  He knew me and my name, but I didn’t recognise him; he had to tell me who he was before I realised.

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CT there’s obviously something very memorable about your face or voice Three minute timerfor him to recognise you at once!  

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Sorry about that muddled message- the audio clicked in and inserted ‘Three minute timer’ from the Wimbledon commentary on TV..

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Since my last post, as you may know, I've had a couple of heart issue and now take medication. However, heading towards 84 I am still very active and enjoying life.

Did a bit of indoor rowing and cycling this morning and been out working on river maintenance for a few hours after breakfast. Out fly fishing in boats twice last week and fished a contest yesterday. I always seem to be the oldest person around - so can't be in bad nick, relatively speaking :happy: My problem is, when I do recognise someone after a few years - I can't remember their bloody names :rolleyes:

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1 hour ago, MargieH said:

CT there’s obviously something very memorable about your face or voice Three minute timerfor him to recognise you at once!  

Could be Margie, the people recognise him from the 'Wanted' posters. ;)

Only kidding !!

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Don’t kid yourself, Facebooks made tracking people’s change in appearance a lot easier, you are getting a permanent update on what they look like. 

Mrs Red often shows me someone with “look @ so & so” I’ve not seen them for years & would never recognise them, I do now. 

 

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