I am 50 years old and i was riding my bike along the canal when my chain slipped off the front de railer (inwards) and got suck between the pedal cog and the frame. It was wedged tight and I struggled. A man about my age, maybe a few years older stopped to help, and I welcomed his help. Then a younger guy stopped and then another younger guy and because I had struggled with all my might and could not free it I welcomed the help and the random tools that appeared. What I embarassed me was the way the older gentlemen introduced me to one of the guys, barely out of his teens. He said “This young lady etc etc ” I winced at being called a young lady in front of a fella young enough to be my son and I said hesitantly and in a light spirit but with an agenda “Thank you but I am hardly a young lady” and smiled … to which he responded “well ok then, old lady!” .He seemed offended and he said it roughly. And I did not respond and directed my attention to the chain and bike. He then left as the younger guys were really getting stuck into and it was insanely jammed. I got to thinking… why can’t I just be a lady? or a woman? Why does my age have to come into a random encounter like that. I know he was trying to be nice… but its not nice to be called young… when you are not. Its diminishing and puts me in a position where I have to feign gratitude for the lie.. as if I need it to feel good about myself. The End
