Page 23 - Seniors Today Febuary 2020
P. 23
Cover Feature | First Person II
Dating
in your dotage
Flirting at 40 is fun, but what happens when you’re 50, and being single hasn’t yet
lost its tingle? By Vidya Heble
Being single in your 20s, 30s and even 40s is questions! What do we do after dessert? Should
fun. You’ve got the spring in your step and you I drop a hint or wait for him to drop me home?
can step out in spring as in any other season, What if he says “your place or mine” because my
confident that soon if not too late, you could be in place is a mess and frankly I’d rather just go to
a relationship that you never want to get out of. sleep.
But there are those of us who somehow find And that’s after you’ve crossed the swirling
ourselves on top of that hill called 50, beginning rapids of Getting Ready For The Date. The
our slide down or maybe halfway down already, clothes, the skin, the hair – women and possibly
all by our lonesome selves. I know there are some men will know what that’s all about. Hair
plenty of people who don’t want to have another is greying, you have to colour it at the right time
relationship – and some who don’t want one at all so that the roots don’t show and it doesn’t look
to begin with – but let’s talk here about us thirsty “freshly painted” either. Nails have to be done –
totterers. The senior singles. dark colour or light? (Passing thought: Is anyone
We need support when getting up from a sofa. going to look at my nails?) You have to look smart
We worry about loo breaks – and then we worry but you can’t wear something uncomfortable.
about whether the loo is a proper Western one or No fidgeting about wishing you were in a salwar
that dreaded Indian one. (In the latter case, we are kameez on your best behenji behaviour. If only
equipped with a series of exercise postures that they made pyjamas fashionable. Come to think
won’t find their way onto these pages.) of it, that’s what palazzo pants are – hip pyjamas!
When it comes to dating, we worry about what Ok, that’s the outfit sorted.
to eat so it won’t affect our digestion. If it’s a lunch
date, we think about how much time we will get ‘Have you met…?’
for a nap afterwards. If it’s a dinner date – oh, the Of course, that’s when you reach the dating stage.
23 SENIORS TODAY | Issue #8 | February 15, 2020
