A pretty, young woman was seated on a bench, waiting for a friend, who was shopping at Bath and Body Works. At the same time, a tall, lean, and handsome young man was walking laps in the mall with his two friends. Each time he and his friends walked by her, he smiled at her and she at him. On the third lap, he went to sit next to her on the bench.
“That’s a pretty jacket to go with your pretty smile,” he said.
She looked down at her pale-green North Face winter jacket and then at him. “Thanks,” she said. She has a smiling, friendly face.
“I haven’t seen you at Central. What high school do you go to?” He said, his voice confident.
She was quickly disappointed to learn that he was only a kid. A high school kid! “East, ten years ago,” she said.
Surprised, he looked at her more closely. “No way! Are you just saying that because you want me to leave?”
“No…Really…I’m old,” she said. It was only relative, of course. She was only 28 years old, but compared to that 18-year-old, she felt old. If looks, alone, were considered in gauging someone’s age, she could easily pass for 18 or, perhaps, even 16.
He smiled at her. His eyes, glinting. “I can dig older girls.” His voice, playful.
She felt amused by his comment, but she didn’t feel right continuing the conversation either. “I think you should go back to join your friends,” she said, smiling kindly.
Even though her voice was gentle and non-threatening, he still felt dejected but was respectful. “Nice talking to you and have a great day.”
“Same to you,” she said with a smile. If only he were her age or older, she would have welcomed their conversation. And, would have even considered a date if asked.
After that incident, she wondered if her young look had been the reason that men her own age or those even older than she were discouraged from approaching her because they thought she was just a kid? The thought was sadly depressing her, if true.