So I meet my brother Chris at the climbing gym this afternoon. We're all harnessed up, and I pick my first wall. There are two kids sitting at the edge of the belay area, watching. And the boy, about 6 or 7, says to me, "You gonna climb that?" And I say, "Yep." And he says, "You're kinda old, aren't ya?"
And I got nothing...NOTHING! No comeback, no witty quip, just a total dumbstruck look. My brother, not yet 30, was ready to pound the little twerp and replied, "You're kinda young, aren't ya? Where's your mommy?"
We agreed beating him up was probably not the way to go and decided just to heckle him on his next climb. (I'm not too old for a little childish retaliation.)
Now, I've been called a few things in my time, but not old. Not yet! Even worse was when he came looking for me later with his adult belayer (and apparent apology instigator) in tow to say, "I'm sorry I called you old."
So the kid obviously hasn't developed his social filter. That's cool. But something tells me I just crossed over to the other side.
