Am I "Man" or Am I "Sir?"

Reflecting on nouns

Photo by John Moeses Bauan on Unsplash

“You good, man?”

“What can I get you, sir?”

I got both of these questions when I sat down in two different restaurants this week. The difference should be obvious.

One is something a youthful person says to a fellow Young. It comes with a casual nod that quietly confirms neither of you is old enough to know what the phrase “Iran-Contra affair” means. It makes you feel cool.

The other is what service workers say when they see an Old. It comes with a professional smile, which only barely hides their fear that you’re about to ask for the manager. It makes you feel like that ancient mummy who scientists made talk.

The fact that I got both of these in such quick succession tells me I’m about to transition from regularly hearing the Young question to exclusively hearing the Old question. This makes me uneasy.