Generation Gap

Tonight I swung by the McCully Shopping Center Taco Bell for dinner at around 8 p.m. and was shocked at all the traffic in the parking lot. What was going on? When I finally got into the lot, I saw that there was absolutely nothing happening. There were just a ton of kids hanging out and double parking their cars.

You know you're getting old when your first thought is: don't you have anything better to do? (I almost added the 'bah humbug' but managed to refrain this time). I mean, what's so good about loitering in front of a 7-Eleven? Obviously, because of all the traffic, these kids have cars, so why not cruise Waikiki or anywhere else? Why clog up a strip mall? I find that really retarded.

However, once I managed to maneuver around the rice rockets (yes, the kids were mostly Asian driving dropped Honda Civics and the like) I realized that I used to be one of these kids. Of course, we didn't just take up space at a shopping center. We usually went to someone's house. But the key problem is the same: all dressed up with no where to go and nothing to do.

Remember those days when it took a majority decision to do anything? When people didn't want to make a suggestion that others might not like so they didn't say anything at all? When you could squeeze at least seven people into a compact car? When hanging out in front of 7-Eleven till 2 a.m. was a night well spent? When it'd take longer to get ready than to actually go out?

God, I'm getting old.