So, I am 26 years old and I would like to know when I can expect to stop getting carded.
Not that I always mind whipping out my license when neccessary. In fact when that does happen I am silently like "yes!" even though I know that 26 is on the young side of the hill, it never hurts to start worrying about one's face betraying one's age prematurely, oui?
Anyway, my problem is that lately it seems like the more annoying circumstance isn't that I am not carded and have to wonder "Am I so clearly NOT anywhere near 21?" but rather when folks take my ID and it becomes more than a perfunctory action.
For instance: take this weeekend. Adam and I were going to his parents house in Maine for the weekend and made the obligatory stop in Saco for the usual: wine, crackers, and fireworks. Adam checked out first and breezed through the line, whereas I was made to wait for several minutes because my ID "was sticky".
"I'm not sure if my manager will let me accept this card" the cashier told me
"I don't understand, it's my driver's license"
"Yeah but its out of state"
I pointed at Adam who had already purchased his items and shown his ID "Um, so is his."
"Yeah well yours is sticky".
Ok I admit that the card WAS a little sticky on one corner but that is because I keep a few spare stamps behind it and in the hot-as-hades-heat some of the adhesive had stuck to my license. No big deal.
I assured her that not only am I past 21 but I am five years past 21 (ouch) and I use this ID all the time stickiness or not. Eventually she relented because I think she sensed that I was not above coming to blows over this (I am cranky in the heat). But it didn't make me feel any less put out over the ordeal.
In fact it brough back a flashback of my friend Vicki's 22nd birthday.
A large group of us were in Boston waiting in line to get into The Rack (a big billiards/club/bar type place in Fanuiel Hall). I had noticed that the bouncer was really psyched about his job, and making a big deal about denying underaged people/catching people with fake IDs and truth be told I laughed at these people when they were cast out. Hahah! I pitied the Non of Age. When I approached the bouncer with my ID he did the whole look at it, look at me, look back at it, look at me thing and then asked me "Are you sure this is you?". I said yes. He then asked me for backup ID which I did not have at the time, just my license and some twenties stuffed in my bra (class act much?). I was a little shocked. I informed him that it was in fact me and that I didn't carry backup ID because a Mass License is usually enough to prove my age. He asked me how come the picture looked so little like me and I told him "Because sir, when I am photographed, unless I am really careful and have perfect lighting, I look like a troll with Bell's Palsey".
The bouncer was unmoved, so I turned to the police officer standing outside the door and explained to him what was going on. He took my ID, asked me a few questions (what was my adddress, what was my sign, etc) and told the bouncer that he believed it WAS my ID. The bouncer, chagrined at being told what's what, grudgingly let me in. Of course I was very soon tossed out for telling him to "F himself" on my way in but that is neither here nor there.
My point is, the older I am getting, the less cute it is to get carded. Am I willing to sprout some crow's feet (if I haven't already) to make this process run a little smoother? Perhaps.
Not that I always mind whipping out my license when neccessary. In fact when that does happen I am silently like "yes!" even though I know that 26 is on the young side of the hill, it never hurts to start worrying about one's face betraying one's age prematurely, oui?
Anyway, my problem is that lately it seems like the more annoying circumstance isn't that I am not carded and have to wonder "Am I so clearly NOT anywhere near 21?" but rather when folks take my ID and it becomes more than a perfunctory action.
For instance: take this weeekend. Adam and I were going to his parents house in Maine for the weekend and made the obligatory stop in Saco for the usual: wine, crackers, and fireworks. Adam checked out first and breezed through the line, whereas I was made to wait for several minutes because my ID "was sticky".
"I'm not sure if my manager will let me accept this card" the cashier told me
"I don't understand, it's my driver's license"
"Yeah but its out of state"
I pointed at Adam who had already purchased his items and shown his ID "Um, so is his."
"Yeah well yours is sticky".
Ok I admit that the card WAS a little sticky on one corner but that is because I keep a few spare stamps behind it and in the hot-as-hades-heat some of the adhesive had stuck to my license. No big deal.
I assured her that not only am I past 21 but I am five years past 21 (ouch) and I use this ID all the time stickiness or not. Eventually she relented because I think she sensed that I was not above coming to blows over this (I am cranky in the heat). But it didn't make me feel any less put out over the ordeal.
In fact it brough back a flashback of my friend Vicki's 22nd birthday.
A large group of us were in Boston waiting in line to get into The Rack (a big billiards/club/bar type place in Fanuiel Hall). I had noticed that the bouncer was really psyched about his job, and making a big deal about denying underaged people/catching people with fake IDs and truth be told I laughed at these people when they were cast out. Hahah! I pitied the Non of Age. When I approached the bouncer with my ID he did the whole look at it, look at me, look back at it, look at me thing and then asked me "Are you sure this is you?". I said yes. He then asked me for backup ID which I did not have at the time, just my license and some twenties stuffed in my bra (class act much?). I was a little shocked. I informed him that it was in fact me and that I didn't carry backup ID because a Mass License is usually enough to prove my age. He asked me how come the picture looked so little like me and I told him "Because sir, when I am photographed, unless I am really careful and have perfect lighting, I look like a troll with Bell's Palsey".
The bouncer was unmoved, so I turned to the police officer standing outside the door and explained to him what was going on. He took my ID, asked me a few questions (what was my adddress, what was my sign, etc) and told the bouncer that he believed it WAS my ID. The bouncer, chagrined at being told what's what, grudgingly let me in. Of course I was very soon tossed out for telling him to "F himself" on my way in but that is neither here nor there.
My point is, the older I am getting, the less cute it is to get carded. Am I willing to sprout some crow's feet (if I haven't already) to make this process run a little smoother? Perhaps.
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9 comments:
Funny, funny shiznit. I will share a story: When I was about 4 months away from turning 23, I went to a bar with my husband, then-boyfriend, that had a five dollar steak and baked potato special. A classy joint. He ordered a beer and the waitress carded him (he's 8 months YOUNGER than me), and served him. I ordered water because I had a sore throat and thought I wasn't going to drink that night, but she also asked to look at my ID, and I showed it to her. Anyhow, about an hour later, the waitress comes back to where we were and says to ME "I'm sorry, no one under 21 is allowed in this back room after 8 p.m." I said, "Well, OK, I'm not under 21" and she snorted at me and said "um, 1979???" and I retorted "um, 2002!!!!" And then she just walked off. I secretly hoped that she was calling the police so that we could have a showdown and she could be publicly humiliated, but they never showed so I guess she was just slinking away sheepishly.
So the issue apparently wasn't that she thought my ID was fake, but that she was unable to subtract. And my boyfriend's ID said 1980!!!! ugh!
i get carded constantly. i too will tell a story. i was down at the packie in weymouth landing buying a bottle of wine. i was 23 at the time. i get the wine and get to the counter, ID ready. i hand it to the guy and he is like
him: "this isn't you",
me: "um..yes it is."
him: "i don't think this is you so you will have to leave".
me: "fine, i'll spend my money elsewhere" and i start to leave.
him: "wait!! fine. i'll let it go this time"
me: rolls eyes and pays for booze.
him: "thanks!"
me: "fuck off".
i guess yours is worse, but i just wanted to tell a story. ha! <3 danielle
eesh, I love me some booze, but crow's feet? no thank you!! :)
danielle you brought me to some weird packie in weymouth once near Bldg 19?) and something similar happened to me! He took my (totally legit) ID and was like "I know this isn't you but I am in a good mood so here you go" and let me buy the wine. I was like "Gee thanks ASS".
I'm 29 and I still get carded for lottery and scratch tickets. But sometimes I don't get carded for drinks. odd.
I once got carded for a free sample of Prell in CVS. It went down like this:
Old Lady: Would you care for a free sample of Prell shampoo today?
Me: Yes I would. I enjoy shampoo very much.
Old Lady: I need to see an ID.
Me: What? Why? Forget it, I'm not on shampoo welfare.
and scene. It wouldn't have been so bad, but I think I was 23 at the time.
Up here in Canada (eh) legal age is 19 (18 if you're a lucky enough git to live in Alberta). I'm now 26. That puts me a full SEVEN years over legal age and yet every single time I go out, I get carded. Unless it's at one of my favourite-go-often establishments where the bouncers all know your name (do I go out too much?...nah!) Here's the lovely rub, you must produce not one, but TWO pieces of ID.
But the thing is, as annoying as it is to produce ID when I'm quite clearly of age, I'm flattered! I hope I'm 30 and they're still asking me for ID!! Take it as a compliment :)
i mgonna be carded until the end of time
matt, you are right. you are one of the youngest looking guys i know. be happy, at least when you are a dirty old man you will probs still be able to get in at Teen Night at certain clubs :-)
I am 31 and thank the Dear Lord and Perricone Eye Cream that I am still carded 90% of the time. It helps me to deny the gray hairs that are sprouting up everywhere.
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