Dirty Old Men

 Three deer crossed my path

As I jogged up the canyon.

This morning is blessed.

Thursday, September 16, 2021

 When I started running with the Santa Monica Trail Runners Club about twenty years ago or so, there were a few very energetic older men who very much enjoyed flirting with women of all ages. Many of us could see that this was off-putting to many of the women.

 That isn’t to say that it was always agreeable when younger dudes flirted. But let’s be honest about how humans work. This was a club that promoted people to come out and run and socialize together. There’s bound to be some flirting/dating among individuals voluntarily coming together to engage in likeminded physical activity.

 So where the line is drawn between flirting and creepy isn’t always so clear cut. Yet it was easy to see in some situations these old dudes were just sadly and strangely oblivious to the fact that the age difference between some of the women they chose to rub up against should’ve been easily recognized as inappropriate.

 And now the truly sad part; I may now be one of those older men. And from my vantage point I can now very much empathize with the older men I use to run with.

 I’m not running with the club anymore, but I do work for a wellness center and I’m near the point where I’m getting to be close to many of our guests’ father’s age.

 And the irony is that my scope for what women I find attractive has definitely widened from mid 50s to mid-20s.

 From my previous experiences watching older men, I’m doing my best to reign myself in and not be just another dirty old man. Yet I’m also tempted to believe that there must be an exception to the rule and with my fairly decent job of aging and demeanor surely I must still have broad appeal (bad
pun intended).