“What Was it Like?”

I visited the hotel that I’ve always stayed at in Syracuse.

I was second in line so the young girl at the counter went through the closing talk about breakfast and where the ice machines and vending machines were located.

When I stepped up in line I mentioned that she didn’t have to tell me all about the place as I’d been staying there since about 1992.

“Oh my God!” She exclaimed. “I wasn’t even born yet. What was it like?”

I turned and looked at the lobby.

“It was just like this,” I said.

But I had obviously blown her mind.

“I can’t believe you’ve been coming here since way back then,” she said. “Before I was born. That’s crazy to me!”

I laughed.

“There was a lot going on as we waited for you to arrive,” I said.

She laughed.

“But like all the bricks and stuff were here? Just like this?”

I was a little confused by her reaction. Did she think that we lived in bamboo huts way back in the 90’s?

“It’s been updated a few times,” I said. “But yes, it looked just like it does now.”

She ran my credit card and then reached under the counter and handed me a bottle of water and a pack of cheese puffs.

“That’s for staying with us for so long,” she said. “I can’t believe you’ve been staying here for more than 30 years.”

I laughed again.

“Thirty years after I’m gone you’ll probably be staying at places that I’ve never seen,” I said.

That was even more confusing to her.

“Oh! You’ll still be here,” she said. “You’re all set.”

“You haven’t given me a room or a key,” I said. “And if I’m still coming here in 30 years, smother me with a pillow.”

“Oh, dang, I’m sorry. It just kinda’ blew my mind to think you were here back then.”

A wild encounter. 

I took the key and waved.

“It’s just that I’m only 21,” she said. “1992 is like a hundred years ago to me.”

God.

I’m old.