It’s not funny, but when I walk down the street with my bandmate, all of the boys look at him instead of at me.
He is about 25 years younger than I am, which tells me that my time as the handsome guy in the crowd has passed. I believe it is natural for boys to be drawn to a younger guy rather than an old one like me, so I must accept that I am getting old and simply deal with it with grace and dignity. Perhaps I’ll get a makeover soon, haha. Even though I am old, heating and cooling toil are still available to me, which is convenient because it keeps me off the streets and away from boys. I still get looks, but it’s usually from older boys rather than the younger ones. So long as my wonderful friend and I can perform songs in temperature-controlled clubs. I don’t mind who looks at me or him anymore. I get my enjoyment from writing songs and playing the drums while singing, rather than from how boys look at me. I did get more attention from boys when I worked as a Heating, Ventilation, and A/C technician and also maintained a/c units in people’s homes. Now I’m just that old guy who comes over to work on the apartment and nothing else. I still feel young and can lift heavy space heaters and other heavy objects without getting winded. That’s not bad for a 56-year-old. I may not be the young heartthrob anymore, but as long as I can continue writing songs, playing the drums, and finding joy in my craft, the opinions of others, especially boys, no longer hold the same weight in my life.