The Mouths of Babes?

Two weeks before
my 50^th birthday,
my son and I discuss
“10 Years Younger” –
a make-over programme.
I say I’d love to have all that beautification.
He says excitedly:
“You could tell them you’re 17!”
I am overwhelmed
by the agenda-less/agenda-free/unthinking/innocent compliment.

24 June 2008

The conversation actually took place last Thursday on the bus, on the way to the music Academy, but I turned it into something today, when Paula and I met for one of our "creative writing workshops". We decided on the topic of aging and "big" birthdays, as she is going to be 40 in August. OK, so it's totally self-congratulatory, but I think I'm allowed to be vain every now and then! As you can see, I am completely undecided about the final adjective. I wanted to convey the fact that what affected me wasn't so much the compliment, but the fact that I knew it was totally sincere, because it seemed so spontaneous, and he wasn't angling for anything. Not too sure about "overwhelmed" either. I did consider "bowled over" and "knocked over", but Paula felt "overwhelmed" was best...