My name is Patchara. Fifteen years ago, I moved to the United States from Thailand . I work as awaitress in a restaurant. An older man and woman come in for dinner once a week. They are very nice. When they enter, I say, “Hello, Papa. Hello, Mama. ” Then I put my hands together and bow . That is how we greet older people in Thailand. It shows respect. But this couple doesn’t like it. Now, when they come in, they don’t want to sit in my area. They want a different waitress to serve them.

Patchara embarrassed the couple. She drew attention to their age. These customers feel young. They don’t want to think they look old. In fact, they are not young. Last year, their children gave them a party to celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary . They are proud of their long marriage and proud of their grandchildren, but they don’t want to think about their age. Many Americans are not happy to get old.

我叫帕查拉，十五年前从泰国移民来美国，现在在一家餐厅做服务员。有一对老年夫妇每星期来我们店里用一次餐，他们人很好，很和蔼。他们进门的时候，我说：“您好，爸爸！您好，妈妈！”然后双掌合十，鞠上一躬。在泰国我们就是这样和老年人打招呼，以表示尊重。但这对老夫妇却不喜欢这一做法，现在他们来的时候不想坐在我服务的区域里了，而是要别人为他们服务。

帕查拉使这对老夫妇感到有些尴尬，她让别人注意到他们的年龄。两位老人自我感觉很年轻，不愿想起自己的老态。实际上他们已经不年轻了，去年孩子们为这对老夫妇举办了结婚五十周年纪念庆典，他们为自己长久的婚姻和一群孙子孙女感到骄傲，但却不愿意去想自己的年龄。很多美国人都不喜欢变老。