Code Name: Zooey

Okay, there's this girl I see at least a couple times in the workweek. She works, at least for the time being, at a pharmacy/convenience store a couple blocks from my office. I'm part of a "walking group" at work, a peripatetic posse that pounds the pavement twice a day in search of cardiovascular fitness, and we stop by the pharmacy more often than not for "health products"(vitamin drinks, protein bars, that kinda stuff). She's usually there.

I'll call her Zooey. Not really her name, and she doesn't look quite as good as the Zooey pictured here, but the same basic idea. Dark hair, blue eyes, very young, very cute. And very friendly, at least to me.

Over the past couple months, I've gotten to know Zooey just a little bit. I know where she's from, and I know she's discontented with her job. Then again, it's the kind of job you have when you're her age, though retail can be a kind of quicksand you can get stuck in. I understand her motivation to want to dig herself out.

I don't know how old Zooey is, but I know she's under 21, since she has to get someone else to ring out the beer I buy there occasionally. My guess is 18 or 19. Yours truly just turned 56 last month, which makes him 37 or 38 years her senior- roughly three times her age! I'm probably older than her Dad. This young woman could be my friggin' Granddaughter, for chrissakes!

But young cute girls are still young cute girls, and you never stop appreciating them, no matter how damned old you get yourself. Or flirting with them just a little bit. I don't know that I actually flirt with Zooey, but it is very friendly between us. She seems to light up when I come in there, and I too get something of a buzz from her attention.

Now I know that Zooey is not romantically interested in me, and I'm really not romantically interested in her- even though she is very cute, and I find her attractive. Besides, along with the age difference are other huge disparities as far as our interests. I'm sure our tastes in music, books, movies and other things are worlds apart. This would be evident the first time she wanted to watch American Idol or Minute to Win It, or whatever other kind of pap 18-year-olds get into.

Still, it's a nice fantasy. I have never been with a woman way younger than myself. If there's an age difference, they always seem to be older. So it would fulfill a stoopid unrealized dream I've always had- well, since I became old enough to be the "older man". But I know better, at least intellectually. I have a pretty good idea how it'd end, and of some of the repercussions of dating someone one-third your age.

So I'll try and keep myself in check here. Continue to go in to the pharmacy for my health items like the vitamin drinks and protein bars, and my "non-health" items like beer. And continue to enjoy the buzz I get from seeing her. Even though someone else has to ring out my beer.