Busted

When I was about aged 21-23, I went with my mom and dad to the liquor store while we were out and about one day. My dad has had a large, greying beard for quite some time. When we got to the checkout counter, the cashier didn't worry about my dad, but with my mom and me in line with him, he asked to see our IDs for verification of age (21 is the age limit here in the states for purchasing alcohol). Maybe he thought my mom and I were both underage and that we had talked this nice older gentleman into buying booze for us? Neither Mom nor I had brought in our purses, because it was dad getting the alcohol, but the cashier wouldn't complete the sell to my dad until all our ages were confirmed. We went out to get our purses, brought them back in, holding up the cashier's line in the process (but that was on him), and showed him our IDs. Being old enough myself, and Mom being 20 years older than me, she couldn't resist making a funny comment about the matter with the cashier once he saw her date of birth, and then commenting to Dad about him being married to a young spring chicken, which of course made me roll my eyes and possibly gag a little. It wasn't the first time someone thought we were sisters and that she was closer to my age than expected. Being early 20s, I was at that age when I was quite used to being carded, and in fact expected to be carded and found joy when I wasn't, but Mom thought those days were over for her.

I now know how she must have felt.

Up until my mid-thirties I would still get occasionally carded for cigarettes (age limit 18). Since I've stopped smoking, I've stopped being able to test that perception.

Yesterday I went to lunch with a couple friends. They ordered their drinks while I had gone to the restroom. When I came back, I ordered my drink. The waitress thought for a moment and then asked to see my ID. Success!

So now I know, it's definitely in the genes. If my mom can get carded for alcohol into her early 40s, so can I.