Since I moved to the West, I noticed the big different between Indonesian women and the Western women. Single Indonesian women do not feel comfortable to say how old they are. But once we're married, ages don't matter anymore. We feel very comfortable to say it. But not the same with the Western women. It is even rude just to ask a woman on how old she is.
Well, I myself say: what's with those numbers? It is not how old we are that matters, but how we look that counts. I'm not forty yet but I just can't wait for it. One of my Mexican friend had a 29th birthday last year and she said: O no...the big THREE is coming. I said: O yeah...and I have the big FOUR on my way. She was surprise so I kept silent (even though I wasn't sure what had made her shock).
I always believe that women all over the world do not want to be older. I am just happen to be one of those who don't care about numbers until....some times a go when I went to see a doctor.
He is about 50's, a kind of chunky with half bold head. Just a regular mid fifty's man. On the second visit, I had to wait for him as he had something urgent in the hospital so I walked myself looking around his office's wall. And there...is exactly where the problem started.
Among all of the certificates I found pictures in his youth, may be just fresh graduate. And guess what, he's quite a catch indeed; slim and very good looking. Those images had made me think on how much my look will change when I'm fifty. And it's a kind of scary. I thought about it months and months and started to worry about the big number FOUR that's coming. As soon as I'm Forty, I'll be fifty before I know it, and then....how am I gonna look like?
But life is only fair to women. I can say it because just yesterday I went to HEB store with Maria. On the way out, the red cross team was having a table and banners, saying about vaccinations. As we walked by, the nurse called out loud. Me and Maria stopped cause we're not sure if she was calling us. The nurse said, "not you, but her." she pointed at me and then she explained about the injections that I should get. And then she asked: "how old are you?" I said: "38". The nurse shocked and said: "O, you're passed...it's only for up to 29. I called you because I was sure that you're only twenty..."
We smiled and continued walking to the parking lot. I turned to Maria with a surprise look and she said: "Si...si....eres todavia jovencita..." (yes...yes...you're still very young).
We both then laughed. (may be the nurse just doesn't have good eyes? I don't care...) Heheh
I was wrong after all, I do care about age. It's not the numbers but the side effect that comes a long with it, that worries women all over the world, had worried me too. Well, who wouldn't?
