I was speechless!

A couple of years ago a very nice man from the Gas Board came round to discuss the replacement of my conked out boiler. Whilst on his phone to organise delivery he said "Priority order, resident elderly and vulnerable". My head swivelled round the room thinking that my late 90 year old Dad had suddenly rematerialisd.
Nope, t'was me at the grand old age of 58!

Oh dear, judypark, I'd to ring BG Homecare last week and they asked me whether any elderly or vulnerable people lived here. I said no, but as DH is 67 perhaps I was fibbing!

Oh Phoenix, I would have had difficulty in holding back. What a cheek! I'd have managed a 'look' at least I think.

I am getting a bit worried that as Kim mentioned, I don't see myself as others see me. Lately, so many check-out assistants in shops seem to be patronising me in a way they don't to other younger customers.

"Do you need help my love?"
"You OK pet?"
"Thank you darling."
"There you go my dear"
"Watch how you go lovely."

I have no trouble with such terms of endearment or kindnesses, none at all, but it's almost like they see me as frail and needing help.

I am very independent, upright and walk briskly and am quite matter of fact, not dithery, etc. I do chat and smile a lot.

I am hoping they are being kindly because I am a chatterbox. They may see me as a lonely 'old dear' perhaps?

Heck. I still feel like I'm 25 in my head.

I seem to be the only one who finds this hilariously funny! I would have roared with laughter and told him that when he got to my 'incredible age' he might look at things differently! I am 71.

Barmaid’s knickers is more popular around here

Just coming at this from another angle......

Two months ago a friend aged only 58, fell down the stairs and broke his neck. After two days in intensive care he sadly died and the post mortem could find no reason for his tumble.

His wife is still reeling from the shock.

How old was he, 12? If he was in his mid 30's or older, I wouldn't be too happy. However, my son and his friends have always treated me like a fragile old lady until recently. They took me to a fantastic little bar/club in Soho last week and I had a great night. In conversation I told them stories of the Soho I knew in the 1970s (working as a part time barmaid, I must add!) and the antics in my job for a large oil company at high level. It brought a whole knew education to my son, who in the space of a week has stopped treating me like an old lady...hoorah! Having said this there is no getting away from wrinkles...(unless we go under "the knife") so we know we are 21 in our heads, but our faces tell a different story!! Live and Let Live that's what I say.

I would not have held back...I would have told him exactly what I thought...and enjoyed it. Whore's drawers...must....must remember that one...hahaha

And here was I thinking the expression was "Up and down like a tart's knickers."

Definitely try and find another decorator.

Phoenix, I hope you dont hire him You make me laugh with your comments, the one about the "drawers" I must remember.
Keep writing Phoenix, you keep us all amused.

Personally I think life is too short to take offence .....just laugh like I did when I broke my femur and had to use a walker frame ....great !!! Lots of nice fit young me held doors open for me ....helped me cross the road ....bring it on !!!!! Wouldn't have minded taking one home to make me a cup of tea instead of having to stand an drink it in the kitchen ......methinks you doth protest too much .......and anyway, he has your interests at heart ...people younger than you have fallen down stairs and killed themselves ...why only yesterday Simon Cowell fell down the stairs and missed the X Factor ,,,,,,did he fall or was he pushed .....

Do I take this as a compliment when women accompany their male partners, who I have employed to do minor repairs for me , sit in a vehicle reading a book while their men carry out the work?
I have been old enough , on two occasions to be their grandmother and old enough on another to be their mother.Is there no trust ?

Returning from a break away, we were dismayed to find that the station lift was out of order and we would have to carry our case over the passenger bridge. Cue, a very kind young man who insisted on taking over (despite our protestations). Didn't give us a chance to properly explain that it also contained 6 bottles of a local beer (birthday present for SIL). Think he regretted his actions by the time he reached bridge level but laughed anyway and even insisted on helping us onto the train.

How much did he quote for the job then?

Nothing to do with falling down stairs, but to do with a helping hand. True story:
A friend was looking after a friend's cat, which unfortunately died on her watch. She phoned the vet who said he didn't do house calls, but if she could manage to bring the cat's body to the surgery they would hold it til the owner came home.
So, not having any transport, she put the cat in a suitcase and set off for the railway station. As she got off the train a young man offered to help her carry the case up the flight of stairs. At the top he said "That's a very heavy case, what do you have in it?"
She was too embarrassed to say it was a dead cat, so said it was her son's computer and equipment.
The kind man dashed up the stairs and disappeared from view.

I wonder if he would have believed her if she'd said it was a dead cat.

I hate to say this, but maybe some of you look older than you think you do!!

They’re trying to be nice. Be grateful. You might need help one day, if not yet.

Grannyactivist, that made me laugh. Our type of humour

I agree grandma 70s. People are trying to be helpful. Would you rather no-one offerd to help if you really needed it?

I am laughing phoenix
I take it he won't get the job!

I offered to take someones supermarket trolley back for her the other day as they could slot in together (very small ones) - she said it would be easier for her to do it than me. She must have been about the same age as you phoenix so I must look like a doddery old person.

I agree with menopaws, I take it he’s not getting the job then.

A bit cheeky but ...
A very fit friend in his 60 s has just fallen down the stairs, broken arm, ribs broken in several places, punctured lung, 30 stitches in his head.
I'm thinking about getting a stair gate for the top of the stairs (only joking)

Interesting this. Whilst I charge upstairs two at a time, I find I have taken to holding the bannister and coming down more carefully. Don't know why and when this started to happen but it is a regular practice now. I really shouldn't because I've newly painted it so maybe I'll have to wash my hands even more often. Dearie me......

I was slightly taken aback when the lady in front of me at the checkout asked if I was all right lifting my basket off the floor. As I was going to have to carry the stuff home of course I was all right! My mood was much improved when SiL (50) fell over in the street and was surrounded by a crowd of people wanting to help him up Needless to say his loving family found it hysterically funny.

Its not the danger of taking a tumble, quite possible at any age, as Baggs has sagely pointed out. I would imagine it was the at your age, that were the killer words. Which is what they would have been for me, I would have slaughtered the man, possibly by pushing him down said stairs {grin}.

At least we have staircases that are so obviously likely to be dangerous that everyone takes great care walking up and down them so they are safer than most! (we have those narrow steep twisty staircases that you get in really old houses).