I'm getting older. I'm starting to use the phrase "young man" without irony.

[Aristus]

Telling a friend his son seems like "a fine young man."

"That's the young man who helped me get my car out of the ditch."

I can't tell whether using this phrase makes me feel paternal, or just a fuddy-duddy. Or maybe both.

[datasuspect]

1. i call the ones who are worth a damn

that.

the ones that need learnin or fixin, i call em "son" or "boy."

sometimes "junior."

[SwissTony]

2. I look at young women and then think...

they look at me as an old man.

Well, I am 62.

[pinboy3niner]

3. What do you mean by that, young man? :)

Just you wait, Aristus, just you wait. One day you'll walk into a McDonald's and they'll give you the senior coffee price--without your even asking for it.

[Aristus]

5. Never happen, pinboy. I don't get my coffee from McDonald's.

Now, if the locally-owned small business where I do buy my coffee offers an old-folks discount, I'll take it...

[NYC_SKP]

4. Two youngsters called me "sir" last week in Hawaii.

Young urban professionals from New York, where I was once young and professional.

Upon ending our exciting mule ride down the 1,700 foot north face of Molokai, saying goodbye, one of them called me "Sir".