So I’ve been working this short term, contract position in San Francisco since late May. It’s got me out of my wife’s hair for the summer so if nothing else it’s been worth it for that alone. It’s also been nice to spend those summer days away from the “East Bay Sahara” and get back to where they consider 80 to be a hot day.

I’m working for a litigation support company. I can’t tell you any thing more.  It’s very hush-hush. The danger is that if I told you anymore you might nod off and whack your head on something unforgivably hard.

The boss is kind of an ex-hippie. She holds guided mediations in the conference room each Friday. Honest. Remember San Francisco? Think about it though. Aside from maybe during the old dot.com days, how many employers allow you to lie on the floor or, if you so choose, scream into a towel for an hour each week? Not many I'd wager. And I say never pass up the opportunity for an experience whereby I might make an ass of myself.

Most of the folks I’ve been working with are in their mid 20’s and early 30’s.  Think this has made me feel a wee bit seasoned? You bet your Polident® it has. And while there is a definite generation gap, for the most part they’re nice kids. I notice that this particular group of youngsters is very free-spirited and happy as opposed to the bitter and disenfranchised folks of my generation. Most of them are still single, contemplating law school or a move out of state to pursue other interests. No real ties seem to hold them. They’re smart and happy.

Collectively they’ve done a lot of living, certainly more than I did at that age (or at my present age for that matter). One woman moved from Texas with her boyfriend when he landed a job at the San Francisco Chronicle. Another young man went from bartending on a cruise ship in Hawaii for eight months to writing for reality TV in Los Angeles.

Their generation seems to LIVE more where as I think members of my generation were to a degree, still suffering the affects of the brainwashing that told us to go to college and find a job with a nice safe, stable company that offers good benefits. Unfortunately those safe, stable companies are the same ones that have been laying us off in droves for the past 3 years.

My somewhat advanced age shows in various subtle ways. The office is rather quiet as we’re all plinking away on our computers so conversations are carried on in hushed tones. Except that is if I happen to be involved in the conversation. I’ve had to explain, much to my embarrassment, that as you age you begin to grow more hair in your ears, which muffles the sound, and “would you mind speaking up just a little?”

Many listen to portable CD players while they work and they will often swap CD’s however I’ve noticed that no one is interested in borrowing my Boz Scaggs' Silk Degrees CD. Yea that’s right, I’ve got the CD and anyone who knows the album knows that it’s pretty damn good and I stand by it. The kids though? Not interested. Nor were they much interested in my old Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson albums, excuse me CD’s. Though in all honesty I was not very eager to groove to the sounds of Saliva so I guess it’s all good.

As Friday morning slides into afternoon, discussions about after work drinks and weekend outings begin to float around. And while I know that they are secretly envious that I get to make yet another excursion to Home Depot and will perhaps get the opportunity to clean my garage, they hide it well.  I think they pity me for while they know I may be deaf, I’m certainly not “def” which probably isn’t even a “def” term anymore, which further illustrates my descent into Dufferville. I will admit that while the job has not been ideal I will miss my youthful co-workers when the assignment comes to an end and I arthritically grip my walker and shuffle off into the sunset.