D&B Supply Senior Discount Day Creates Challenge for Unsuspecting Cashier

I had just hefted two fifty pound bags of chicken grain into the cart and wheeled up to the checkout.  I ordered the 14 gauge welded wire fencing to make a roof for our chicken pen and pulled out my card to pay.  The pleasant D&B Supply cashier turned to me and asked, “Do you want the senior discount?”  This is the first time this has ever happened to me.

To be honest, I was confused.  Then I thought, they must offer senior discounts to very young people these days.  I scrambled inside my head a moment to try to recall how old I actually am.  Let’s see, this morning I ran 4 miles of speed work, some of it barefoot on asphalt, in 37 degrees.  I must be 20 something.  No, wait!  I have seven children and the oldest is 30.  I might be older than I think.

The poor cashier.  I think I may have looked up from my wallet rather sternly.  I didn’t mean to look mad.  I just thought she was out of her mind.  I said, “No, thank you” in what probably came across as a severely corrective tone, but was more along the lines of ‘what kind of a game are you playing with me?’  Reviewing the facts, maybe it’s me who is crazy.  I AM nearly 52.

I color my hair, though.  That’s supposed to be this miracle of youth.  I do it so that I will look as good as my good friend who is a couple of years older than me and is still an original brunette!  Should I ask for my money back?

Of course, all of this really happened in a matter of seconds.  The cashier was nearly simultaneously turning back to the coin drawer, while shaking her head and answering her own question with a “no”, containing intonations of, “obviously not.”  We parted on friendly terms, as far as I know.

On my way to the car, my pride discussed the situation with my frugality.  Does any self-respecting woman ever admit to being eligible for a senior discount?  Can I just get the same 10% discount by planning my shopping carefully for other sale days, thus never showing my identification?  Do I need a t-shirt that says, “I dare you to ask if I’m a senior?”

When I got home, I carried a 50 pound bag on my shoulder up the long driveway just to make a point.  (I usually let the kids do it for me….)  The shoulder with nerve damage complained a little, but I told it to shut up.  Once in the house, I found my reading glasses and looked into the D&B Supply discount for seniors.

It seems that every Tuesday, anyone over the age of 60 gets 10% off of almost any purchases at the regular price.  I have a few years to decide whether or not I’ll let them give me a “senior” discount.  Meanwhile, maybe I need a bracelet so I can check my own age, should the need arise.  It will need to be in large print.