How do you deal with ageism? With lots of humor and a sense of the ridiculous! But whatever you d

Way back when I was in my mid-seventies, I was hiring assistants online, placing ads on McGill Placement. When a student answered the ad, we spoke on the phone and made an appointment for the interview chez moi.

How did I handle their head space? I gave them warning ahead of time.

"Don't be shocked when an old lady answers the door!"

The first encounter was no problem. The young student had been properly prepared.

But now we had to prepare for the second act. The same principle. Go for their head space!

When the student sat down, I had my little shpiel all ready.

"Before we start, I want you to know. I can't see too well. I can't hear too well. And when I go off on a tangent, I can't remember where i started. So part of your job description is to bring me back where I had started so I can continue!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

After getting the age factor out of the equation, The student didn't blink an eye lid. It was clear sailing.

The job was great, i was a fun boss, and only the student's graduation ended the relationship!

83 was getting serious. Now I was being practically pushed to accept seats in a crowded bus.

And, waiting for the bus, the young people always waved me forward ahead of them.

A friend of similar years always accepted. But for me acceptance meant I accepted the way they saw me. And that would fight with what I was doing...like planning to become a global multi-millionaire ....in one year! Because,,, although I was going to live till 97 - like Iris Apfel - I could go the next day.

So every day counted. I couldn't think "old."

I found a way to stop to protect my own head space.

When a person offered me a seat in the bus, i gracefully declined.

"OOOOOOO. that's so nice of you. But I've got to stand.

You see I'm practicing my balance for skiing double diamonds!"

(One guy pulled my bluff. "Oh," he said. "It's such a long time since I've skied.

How much are they charging for a lift ticket?!!")

DEH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another strategy all together for waiting for the bus.

When young people stood aside outside when the bus came to let me pass first, .

I waved them ahead. "You're older than me!"

The first reaction OF A 22 YEAR OLD was "STUNNED"

AND THEN SHE BROKE OUT INTO LAUGHTER and went ahead.

(of course I was very careful I didn't make the same offer to a person who was around 60

but looked like 83!)

86 was traumatic. I avoided looking in store windows as I walked by. But if i saw my reflection, there was no deceiving myself. On the other hand, I was still working to be that global multi-millionaire and i couldn't afford taking the chance of hearing those voices,

"Oh, Claire, you really look good!"

Insidious voices that would weaken my resolve to take on the world!

So i figured what to do to nip it in the bud.

When people who hadn't seen me for years bumped into me, stared straight into my eyes,

and with wonder exclaimed, "Oh Claire you LOOK GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I immediately shot back. "NOT BAD FOR 95!"

They almost fainted with disbelief.

"NO! NO! NOT REALLY!"

86 was now just a baby!