One of the great bugbears of life is getting old. When you're young, you tend to sneer and roll your eyes, for the experience of age is something beyond you. Well, my hair began to go grey when I was a teenager so that never really made any impact on me. It all seemed normal and part of everyday life. I never got self-concious about it at all, even after enduring endless jibes about hair colour products for men.

It seems however that I've recently attracted an unfortunate medical condition I could do without. Not officially diagnosed yet, just the symptoms reported and a prescription of pills to ward off a potential disaster. Nothing to do with sex either, so I can't boast about it, but rather I'm now in a certain percentage of the population at risk of such things as we get older.

Therefore I'm a little philosophical today. My mind is on successes and failures in the past, though in fairness I'm not at the stage of writing out the top ten things to do that I should have have done twenty years ago had I realised I was going to get older.

I actually found muyself in a pharmacy waiting for the young ladies to fetch the packets of pills necessary to ease my suffering. I chatted to them about the cold weather and we had a chuckle or two - Oh ye gods! - I've turned into an old codger!

Young At Heart

Last night I found I was running out of bread. No matter, all I need do is trudge up the hill to the seven-eleven store and scavenge one left over from the days trading. No sooner had I stepped out the door than I passed a young lady going about her lawful business.

Have you ever caught someone's eyes in a moment and felt you knew that person? Yep, that's what happened. It's a curious feeling. You can say what you want about biology, pheromones, and cultural stereotypes, but she was perfect. She just was, and I knew she felt the same way in that brief encounter by the roadside.

If only I was tenty years younger. I like to imagine she wishes I was too. Not to worry, it was fun while it lasted.