Lest you think my day was ruined by my brief audience with the Czar of Assholibar, I assure you he was mentally dispatched before I even finished the post.
It was actually quite a pleasant birthday.
People at work individually wished me happy birthday more than ever before. It was unexpected and a little off-putting. Do they know something? On the one hand, I think they enjoyed doing it because I clearly appreciated hearing it. My general initial reaction to any pleasantry or kindness is surprise, delight, gratitude - and I'm pretty sure all three usually show clearly on my face in that order. Then I began to think, Why are they being pleasant now when typically they are simply accomplices in the misery of my life? Oh, did I mention that I hate my job? No mind. Whatever daggers up whatever sleeves will be blunted by the malleable skin of apathy.
I think Jane, the back office receptionist, thought I was older. The CFO, to whom I report, thought I was younger. Maybe that's predictable. Although I have no authority over Jane (or anyone at all in the company or Life), she may see me as just a little bit of an authority figure, even though she's more than a decade older, simply because she's newer in the office. And the CFO (also a little older, thankfully) sees me as a subordinate, so I must be young.
I have the job of a 20-something. It is beneath my intelligence and ability. This is not a sleight on the job. It is simply that I can do more, so I should do more (and get paid more).
Some grey hair belies some other younger qualities about my persona. Or to put it another way, I haven't aged well. Either way ....
One person I do like at work, Simon (within a year of the same age), and I talked about how we're really both 65. In different ways, though. He brought it up mentioning how he just likes to come home, sit and read, play golf on the weekends, doesn't drink or party (yes, I know, yet still likable). For me it's how I'm ready to quit the 9-5, I irritated at the youth of today (and have been for some 25 years), and hate they're music (again, for some 25 years).
That evening S took me out to The Piedmont. Quite good food and good service. I now want duck rillettes before every meal and as the meal. Oddly, the main course was the most disappointing of all. Still, we'll definitely be back.
And I got gifts! That's fun.
So, Thanks to you and everyone else for getting me another birthday.
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