Friday, August 5, 2011

How to stay young



I wish there was a tape recorder going for the conversation I just had with a customer, because I don’t think anyone will believe me when I relay it to them.

A nice, well-dressed lady was buying a pair of shoes, and said she needed them to get around in the weekend and watch the grandchildren play rugby on a Saturday morning.

‘Grandkids!’ I spluttered. ‘You look too youthful to have grandkids, what’s your secret?’ I asked her. After I said it I realised it may be misconstrued as an impolite question (starting very young etc). Luckily she didn't take offence.

‘What cream do you use?’ I quizzed. ‘None really’, she said ‘I don’t use much at all.’ ‘Good genes?’ I asked again. ‘No, that’s not it. My mother has a lot of age spots’.

After a bit she said ‘Sex! Lots of sex. I’m not joking. Have sex. And have it a lot.’

Cue my startled face and then an interesting conversation. I’m no prude but she was very upfront and happy to tell me her secret to defying her age. And ten minutes before I'd never met her.

I told her about an Oprah show I saw a while back about a couple who were overweight, tired out and unhappy. They decided to rev up their life by making a pact to have sex every day for a year. You can imagine how vibrant, trim and healthy this couple looked after the year was up, not to mention happy and smiling, with an enviable energy.

‘It would be hard if you were single though’ I put to her. ‘Oh, my friends think I’m terrible’ she said, ‘but I have a 'friend' who’s ten years younger than me and we've been getting together for a couple of years. I’ve had marriage and I’ve had long term relationships, I just can’t be bothered with those now. I’m happy being single and just getting together with my friend every so often.’

I admit I was a little speechless (and impressed with her candour) at this stage. She recommended sex as the best exercise you can have, and of course it is fun and free.

Just in case you are wondering otherwise, she wasn’t tacky or tarty looking. She just looked like a pleasant, normal woman who might be standing in front of you at the supermarket checkout. Except that you might think she was 45 when she was really 55. I didn’t have the cheek to ask her age, but I was dying to know.

She asked if I always worked Fridays and I said I did, as she wanted to come in again for another pair of shoes and would come when I was there. Maybe I’ll find out then.

But in the meantime...

PS. Feel free to comment anonymously on this post!

20 comments:

  1. FABULOUS!!! But, I don't want to let my husband know....will let him think it is because I just can't resist him lol We have all heard of anti-aging in a jar...what shall we call this? :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Morisot, we definitely need a name for this anti-aging technique. May I start the suggestions list with 'the European way of staying young'?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sounds good to me!
    WOW...amazing and it burns calories.

    I would have loved to be a fly on the wall for that conversation!

    ReplyDelete
  4. The most interesting people cross you path!:) I definitely smiled at this post but shall reveal none of my own secrets! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dearest Fiona,

    That was quite a revelation on a Friday! It seemed to work for her but maybe she was a little too generous with spilling the beans...
    Enjoy your Friday and have a lovely weekend!
    Love to you,

    Mariette

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ha ha. I love this woman. Now I just need to find a special friend. And, Fiona, I think the obvious term for this is Sexercise.

    ReplyDelete
  7. That's great! You never know what people will share.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow, that's an interesting conversation between two strangers!! It could be an awful lot of fun to find out if she's right!! ;o)

    Jacqui
    http://windsor--rose.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. If it doesn't work at least it didn't cost you and you've had fun Inky

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hostess, we were in the shop by ourselves at the time, even my husband wasn't there. I'm glad I didn't have to find out if she would have been so candid with other customers around, let alone a fly on the wall!

    Colleen, I know, it must seem like that. I think all people that work with the public must have good stories.

    Mariette, yes, I agree. It's not something I would have shared with many people and definitely not a person working in a shop. Somehow I don't think she's read Anne Barone's Mystique chapter in the Techniques book. And fair enough, it's not for everyone. Us all being different makes the world go round.

    Fashion, art and other fancies, exactly!

    Making 50 fabulous, that is such an obviously perfect term for it. Bravo. It's a much more concise name to schedule in the diary (just kidding).

    Stephanie, you never do. Especially in retail. I bet hairdressers hear amazing stories too.

    Jacqui (I read your post), one way to find out!

    Inky, totally!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I think she sounds like a woman who you should get to know. Mystique is one thing, but being bashful about sex is not something the French are known for (or Italians for that matter). And really, it's an excellent suggestion.

    Sex puts a bloom in your cheeks and reminds you that you've still got it. Of course that reflects on her. As well as it's encouraging to a person to take care of themselves, which also helps.

    ReplyDelete
  12. And I was also thinking that for the record, all the couples I know who are the most uphappy are also the ones having barely any sex. Not that sex causes happiness, but it tends to be noticeable when it's lacking.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Well said Kate. Thank you for your contribution.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Mae West always said "An orgasm a day keeps the doctor away." Perhaps she was on to something...

    ReplyDelete
  15. LOL! Good for her!
    I guess it's much cheaper than most of the lotions and potions we buy ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Jessica, I've not heard that quote. It's the best!

    Vanessa, so true!

    ReplyDelete
  17. my secret is out! i agree completely and am not embarrassed in the least!

    xo

    ReplyDelete
  18. Just more evidence why good lingerie should be a staple in every woman's wardrobe. Your partner is turned on, you feel sexy and powerful, and it fights wrinkles and sagging.

    I wonder if my dermatologist would concur? Or the ladies at the La Mer counter?

    ReplyDelete
  19. I totally agree, and it's a reminder, what with small kids and the Army life, to get back to the bedroom! I think there is obviously a level of happiness factored into good sex, o there is that as well. Excellent post!

    ReplyDelete

Merci for your comment. Wishing you a chic day!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...