Sunday, June 28, 2009 Community Opinions page 10B

David McClure of McKinney : A senior moment … at 48? David McClure teaches science and coaches at Faubion Middle School in McKinney. He is also a Teacher Voices volunteer columnist.

$5.37. That’s what the kid behind the counter at Taco Bueno said to me. I dug into my pocket and pulled out some lint and two dimes and something that used to be a Jolly Rancher. Having already handed the kid a five-spot, I started to head back out to the truck to grab some change when the kid with the Emo hairdo said the harshest thing anyone has ever said to me. He said, “It’s OK. I’ll just give you the senior citizen discount.”

I turned to see who he was talking to and then heard the sound of change hitting the counter in front of me. “Only $4.68″ he said cheerfully. I stood there stupefied. I am 48, not even 50 yet a mere child! Senior citizen?

I took my burrito and walked out to the truck wondering what was wrong with Emo. Was he blind? As I sat in the truck, my blood began to boil. Old? Me?

I’ll show him, I thought. I opened the door and headed back inside. I strode to the counter, and there he was waiting with a smile.

Before I could say a word, he held up something and jingled it in front of me, like I could be that easily distracted! What am I now? A toddler?

“Dude! Can’t get too far without your car keys, eh?” I stared with utter disdain at the keys. I began to rationalize in my mind. “Leaving keys behind hardly makes a man elderly! It could happen to anyone!”

I turned and headed back to the truck. I slipped the key into the ignition, but it wouldn’t turn. What now? I checked my keys and tried another. Still nothing. That’s when I noticed the purple beads hanging from my rearview mirror. I had no purple beads hanging from my rearview mirror.

Then, a few other objects came into focus. The car seat in the back seat. Happy Meal toys spread all over the floorboard. A partially eaten doughnut on the dashboard.

Faster than you can say ginkgo biloba, I flew out of the alien vehicle. Moments later I was speeding out of the parking lot, relieved to finally be leaving this nightmarish stop in my life. That is when I felt it, deep in the bowels of my stomach: hunger! My stomach growled and churned, and I reached to grab my burrito, only it was nowhere to be found.

I swung the truck around, gathered my courage, and strode back into the restaurant one final time. There Emo stood, draped in youth and black nail polish. All I could think was, “What is the world coming to?” All I could say was, “Did I leave my food and drink in here?” At this point I was ready to ask a Boy Scout to help me back to my vehicle, and then go straight home and apply for Social Security benefits.

Emo had no clue. I walked back out to the truck, and suddenly a young lad came up and tugged on my jeans to get my attention. He was holding up a drink and a bag. His mother explained, “I think you left this in my truck by mistake.” I took the food and drink from the little boy and sheepishly apologized.

She offered these kind words: “It’s OK. My grandfather does stuff like this all the time.”

All of this is to explain how I got a ticket doing 85 in a 40. Yes, I was racing some punk kid in a Toyota Prius. And no, I told the officer, I’m not too old to be driving this fast.

As I walked in the front door, my wife met me halfway down the hall. I handed her a bag of cold food and a $300 speeding ticket. I promptly sat in my rocking chair and covered up my legs with a blanky.

The good news was I had successfully found my way home.

By Kanela

Perhaps you’re like me and wonder about things for years with no answers forthcoming. Well, today’s column is finally going to address some of those thought provoking questions.

For example, does anyone else wonder why Albanians are always referred to as “Ethnic Albanians”? Not that there’s been a lot of press coverage lately about Albania, but as I said, these thoughts float around in my head for years. Why not ethnic Spanish, ethnic Greeks, Ethnic Australians, etc.? If ethnic means common traits and customs of groups of people, we might want to start classifying ethnic infants or ethnic elderly or ethnic criminal. And does anyone out there in readerland know where Albania is located?

Moving forward, sometimes I look at the “best dressed” photos of people and wonder if this is the best dressed, what does the “worst dressed” look like? Or could this just be envy that I wasn’t invited and couldn’t fit into a Size 2 even if I were invited?

Speaking of clothing, one of the less expensive brands of clothing has finally eliminated those annoying labels that scratch your neck and require surgical precision to remove. I was so excited when I heard about this until I realized this company permanently stamps their brand name and YOUR size onto that same neck area. Yes, readers, your favorite columnist would not reveal her size or weight even if her life depended upon it. I hope anesthesiologists factor in lying when calculating correct drug dosage!

Does anyone else remember when truck drivers used to flash their lights to let you know after passing them it was safe to move back in front of them? What a friendly gesture that was. That was probably Rule #1 in the Highway Courtesy Handbook. Since I started driving, I’ve seen lots of gestures on the highways but none of them were in that Handbook. By the way, where is the original Handbook?

If you’ve read The Da Vinci Code you’ll discover that its final resting place is right alongside the Holy Grail. I don’t want to give away the ending but if you’re searching for it, you may want to brush up on your French.

In conclusion, Farm Aid is another thing I’ve been wondering about. I don’t grow corn and I haven’t seen one penny of “Don’t Grow Corn Money”.

If any of you have questions wandering around in your head for years, feel free to share them with me. I, in turn, will get my ethnic Albanian researchers to discover the truth for you. As soon as we locate Albania, we’ll get right back to you.

Feel Free to Email me with your Research Questions.
Research Writer and Author, Sandra Seeley.

Copyright © 2006 Sandra Seeley, Humor Columnist – Reprinted with permission from www.sandraseeley.com