Adults Only: Senior paranoia or just plain rudeness?

I was speaking with one of my sons the other day about what I considered to be shabby treatment by an installer of a new appliance. I had purchased a washer from a major appliance retailer and arranged to have them deliver and install the new one and take away the old one.

The truck arrived at my house right on time with the delivery. I was impressed.

Lickety split the workers hauled out the old one and brought in the new one. The problem was that they were unable to hook up the new one because of a different configuration of hoses.

They left and I was stuck with making a few trips to the hardware store to get parts to get the new hoses in the right place.

I was pretty frosted when discussing this with my son when he said, “Dad, you were a victim of prejudice  toward senior citizens.” I dismissed his comment and attributed the worker’s behavior to the actions of one jerk.

Then I started thinking about nasty behavior directed toward me, particularly while driving. Like the time in Mattituck when a driver gave me the finger  because I did not  pull onto the road fast enough.

Or the time I was observing the speed limit on Noyac Road in a 30-mile-per-hour zone and having the vehicle behind  me constantly blasting his horn. Another time I pulled into a town landing entrance and was scolded for not paying attention by the driver of a car that pulled up next to me.

Are those of us with gray hair fair game for critics just because of our age? Or am I suffering from senior paranoia?

Perhaps it’s a bit of both, coupled with my sometimes imperious manner, that can rub individuals the wrong way. I do think that there is a certain amount of disrespect directed at seniors that is a holdover from some years back when retired persons were perceived as the enemies of education.

Schools needed cash to do their best at educating children. Seniors, whose children were grown, became upset about rising taxes used to fund the improvements.

But in the main, I believe that the prejudice has diminished  as everyone — young and old — work together and learn from each other to make their communities better places.

And I am not a lousy driver nor am I overbearing.