Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

Annie: The Girl with a Spark in Her Eye

Annie

Annie and I hopped in the car and went shopping. I haven't had a car since September and well Annie doesn't hop, but she does if you know what I mean. We were like two sixteen year olds who finally get to drive to the mall for the first time.

At the cosmetic counter Annie asked the saleslady if she could suggest a good inexpensive face cream for her age and skin type. The saleslady glanced over at me with a look that said, "You got to be kidding me." I raised my eyebrows as if to say, "What is the problem?" The saleslady with perfect skin and well applied makeup replied to Annie, "Why do you need face cream?"

Annie is not ninety for nothing… She did not take the saleslady's comment as insult like I would have, instead she said, "I am not looking for a cream for my wrinkles, they are going anywhere anytime soon. I want a cream for my dry skin. Old people have skin too."

After a bit of conversation the saleslady threw in some nicety to soften her edge, "I sure hope I look as good as you when I am your age."

Now here is the thing. That saying really bugs me. Also, it really gets me when people treat older people like babies and talk down to them. So since I am far from perfect I snipped, "I would rather think that we should hope to look as good as my friend Annie when we are sixty." Annie added, "I had wrinkles back when I was sixty. But they were the least of my worries."

Annie bought her face cream and then we rode back home with the top down, the heater on high and in my head I head Cyndi Lauper singing. 

Annie you are a doll.

Comments

64 responses to “Annie: The Girl with a Spark in Her Eye”

  1. Jackie

    I love Annie stories! I hope we hear more of them…if I ever visit I hope to meet her, I am sure she is full of wonderful stories and a font of information (i.e. was she living in France during WW2?)

    Reply
  2. Merisi

    Kudos to Annie,
    she’s a treasure,
    and people like that sales person hopefully live long enough to regret their insensitive attitude toward anyone who has lived a few years longer than their unkind selves!

    Reply
  3. Merisi

    P.S.:
    Did you mean to link to this Cindy Lauper song:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UB9Yx_qa5s
    xxx

    Reply
  4. Linda C.

    I hope that I will have a spark in my eyes when I reach a certain age like Annie still does, and as an extra wish, I hope that I have a wonderful friend like you around me.
    Someone who will stick up for me! that would be awesome!
    Thanks Corey

    Reply
  5. Jeanne

    God bless Annie and you
    I am so happy to hear of your adventures……….
    Smile it increases your face value.
    Love you
    Jeanne♥

    Reply
  6. Judy O

    I also have a friend like Annie. She is my role model. I only hope I have her spark and love of life when I am 90!!

    Reply
  7. Marie-Noëlle

    Some people have hard deep wrinckles on their minds !!! Sorry, no cream for those – and no research of any kind could help, I’m afraid !!!
    Annie, you are really precious to us !

    Reply
  8. Paula

    Corey, I love to hear your stories about Annie. It reminds my of a very dear older friend (sadly passed away aged 89). Her name was Anne, listening to stories of you and Annie remind me of the fun times I had with Anne. I too hope that I will be as lively as Annie and Ann when I am a similar age.

    Reply
  9. Betty M

    I love you Annie.

    Reply
  10. Ardi

    I don’t think the sales clerks mean to be hurtful with their comments – usually they’re young enough to not think about getting older. My great-auntie, one of my favorite role models, lived to be 86. She went to the cosmetic counter and was waited on by a very surly clerk. Since she’d worked in retail for many years, when the clerk handed her back her change, my auntie asked, “What’s the matter, dear, don’t you like your job?” The clerk was shocked and then apologized. She hadn’t realized that she hadn’t been the professional she was. Her other important lesson was to someone who was unkind…Then she’d say, “Did you mean that to be as viscious as it sounded?” She was a dear sweet lady with stories that we loved to hear.

    Reply
  11. wendy b.

    remember how jules and julia started? a blog….
    i see an annie and corey one in the making.
    you two are quite the pair… friendship is both ageless and timeless.
    thank you for sharing as always.
    xow.

    Reply
  12. Suzanne, the Farmer’s Wife

    I love Annie! I have a friend who is 93 and she’s a pistol. She has more .. what’s the French phrase? Joie de vivre? Anyway, she’s got it in spades.
    It’s not something that you can fake, you have a zest for life or not. We are drawn to people with that special spark. Annie is a great example and you are so lucky to have her as a friend.
    What about a peek at your new car and a tour of all it’s amenities. I’m a car nut.

    Reply
  13. Vicki

    Glad to hear you two had a girls day out!!! Annie is so wonderful and such an inspiration!!! I think the sales person will inherit a few extra wrinkles for her attitude!!!!

    Reply
  14. cindy

    I love Annie and I love it when you write about her!
    “You look good for your age” is so insulting. Kinda like saying “for a fat chick, you don’t sweat very much…” kwim? Okay, maybe I’m overly sensitive on that one.

    Reply
  15. Eileen @ Passions to Pastry

    Love the scarf.

    Reply
  16. Laura

    J’adore Annie! and you, too!
    I do notice how older women are addressed. I often shop and do things with my mom. She’s not old, 69. But for the past 10 years or so sales people usually address me even if it’s my mom purchasing something and asking the question. Why is this?
    Glad you had a great day!

    Reply
  17. Elizabeth Harper

    Touché Corey, touché!

    Reply
  18. Rhonda

    Insensitive sales people annoy me.
    You and Annie in a convertible – priceless!
    All of your stories put images in our heads and I think I can speak for everyone and say, they make us SMILE.

    Reply
  19. Gail

    Hi, Corey,
    I love to click your links. When I did, this statement popped up…”This video contains content from Sony Music Entertainment, who has decided to block it in your country.” The good ole’ USA must not like this version. Another reader diplomatically suggested another link. I love it!
    hugs,
    Gail

    Reply
  20. splendid

    how i love to hear of you and Annie’s adventures
    yes age discrimination is alive & well
    but really the best revenge is living well
    xoxoxoxox to you both and all your readers
    i love popping in here and having a little girl time!

    Reply
  21. Star

    What a wonderful example she sets. I can just see the two of you rockin’ the convertible on the way home 🙂

    Reply
  22. Julie Ann

    Annie is so cool. I really enjoy “Annie” days. The thing I really love about that generation is that in the face of that kind of mindless rude patronising behaviour, they don’t get angry or rude, and instead just calmly and matter of factly just deliver the perfect put-down !! Comes with age & wisdom I guess. Love it. If God spares me into old age Im going to get a stick and poke people with it if I need attention ! Love Jx

    Reply
  23. Tracy

    Love it Love it Love it.

    Reply
  24. Jennifer

    I left you something on my blog 🙂

    Reply
  25. Michelle M in KY

    Corey…
    For some reason I can envision this entire scenario. I am so happy you & Annie had fun. Forget the saleslady. I believe karma has a way of taking care of that type of thing. The more important thing is the beloved relationship that you and Annie share and the way that you make eachother feel. That’s very rare in this world. I know that the two of you cherish it. Girls just wanna have fun. Top down, heater going. What a great day! Take care!

    Reply
  26. pam aries

    Love it..and I agree I think that comment about hope I look thaat good when i am your age is lame!

    Reply
  27. carolyn

    Brilliant- thanks- I still haven’t come to grips w my wrinkles. I better- they-re going to be here for a long time.

    Reply
  28. Lorrie

    Annie is a treasure. And I agree with you about the lame comment.
    Another one I hate is “you don’t look like you’re 53.” Well, what does 53 look like? I’m 53, therefore, this is what 53 looks like!

    Reply
  29. Shelley Noble

    Great come back, Corey. Except, it’s likely the salesperson won’t ever realize the depth of your point.
    Still, it is odd to see these canyons forming on my face, aging such a personal experience of adjustment, n’cest pas?
    I’m embracing it as a gift of precious time on earth.

    Reply
  30. Cheryl

    My mother lived to the charming age of 89 and like Annie she had dry skin but oh, such a lovely complexion! Annie reminds me of my mother….”You go girl!” I would love to hear more stories from Annie; she’s experienced so much in her 90 years!

    Reply
  31. kelleyn

    Had it not maybe got Annie arrested she should have shocked the lady good! Thanks for answering the questions about the cake. I am going to make it right away.

    Reply
  32. Marilyn

    Annie is beautiful! And even at 90 we will need face cream. I notice as I get older my skin gets drier. It is frustrating when young adults talk down to the elderly. I hope that girl learned something from the visit.

    Reply
  33. Delores

    Annie: You go girl! Your post reminds me of our discussion at book club last night about how we treat older people. About how some people are “invisible” to others after reading “The Elegance of the Hedgehog” (translated from French). Thank you for that Annie story. I would love to be her friend! –Delores

    Reply
  34. Laurie

    I went shopping in South Beach, Miami. Walked into a Brazilian store and picked out an item to try on. The sales clerk quickly walked over grabbed the item. “No, this will not fit you!” I grabbed it back. “Yes, it will. It says size 12.” “NO! You are much too big for our Brazilian 12.” I grabbed the item, marched into the changing room. Couldn’t get it past my ankles. The Latina lovely was waiting with her arms folded across her chest and her foot tapping. “I’ll take it.”-I said

    Reply
  35. Theresa

    We need more Annies in the world and less insensitive people. And what a wonderful friend you are. What a great story.

    Reply
  36. Annie Grosvenor

    Annie sounds (and looks) beautifully delightful!! I do hope I’ll be “hopping” around when I’m 90!
    Aren’t girl times just SO much fun????
    annie

    Reply
  37. Jenny N

    Ah, once again the old addage (sp) applies, we can not judge a book by its cover. Here I am a comparably young 37 yet I hate to say because of some skin issues and extra weight I am afraid I look older than I am. And so I never get the “look great at your age”. I have though been mistaken for being my sister’s mom (she’s 32). I don’t like either situation, so what I wish more than looking as fabulous as Annie should I reach 90 would be her grace, honesty, and humor to handle those and many other situations better. God Bless you girls!

    Reply
  38. Kathie B.

    Did you consider reporting the salesclerk’s rudeness to store management? Or was the store too small for that to be viable? Could you forward today’s blog, with its attendant comments, to store management?

    Reply
  39. Carol

    I love this story and many of the comments. I have to say again how blessed you and Annie are to have one another’s friendship!
    I refuse to go near those snippy shallow girls at the cosmetic’s counters. It’s clear they have no patience, or desire to serve those who don’t already fit a certain image. Also, if they work on commission you have to question their intelligence…
    Rock on, Annie!

    Reply
  40. Denise Moulun-Pasek

    Please tell Annie that she looks great and that the Hermès scarf is a perfect foil for her lovely skin.

    Reply
  41. Rhonda

    Annie is amazing and inspirational. I love her scarf. xxx

    Reply
  42. Merisi

    @ Laurie:
    Your story (comment of 07:04 PM for you readers, in case you are in the mood) had me cracking up! *giggles* Merci!!!!

    Reply
  43. Merisi

    @ Annie:
    Your foulard is oh so beautiful! 🙂

    Reply
  44. Gina Baynham

    Everyone should have a friend like Annie!

    Reply
  45. Alena

    Love you guys, both,
    I only hope and pray to be this strong, loving,giving and wise.
    You are such an inspiration and I am honored to meet you Annie and Corey.
    (At least on line)

    Reply
  46. susanna

    Aw, you both certainly have a good friendship. I enjoy reading your Annie posts, Corey. I noticed that she has the same nose as my mother.

    Reply
  47. fitty

    i love all your posts but anything with Annie in it, alway sounds so much fun! thanks for sharing this Corey!

    Reply
  48. Ellen Cassilly

    Where do we sign up for the Annie fan club? Thanks for the recipe. I will try the cake recipe this weekend.
    Ellen

    Reply
  49. frenchgardenhouse

    Not only is she so cute, she is quite a snappy dresser!! How much we can all learn from your Annie. Thank you, Corey, for sharing her. xoxo Lidy

    Reply
  50. Vicki’s Bit-o-Earth

    Hey, we work hard for those wrinkles! We’re proud, right? …but if the mirror would fib to me now and then, I’d be ok with that too. (:

    Reply
  51. Betty

    Thank you and Juliette for the wonderful cake recipe …I can’t wait to make the yogurt cake.
    I’m so happy I found you ..I love your blog.
    Hugz …Betty

    Reply
  52. Cherie

    Love your comeback, Annie, like you is gorgeous 😉 Ahhh … so the superior attitude of cosmetic sales personnel is universal? You have to wonder why they are so when we supply their bread and butter?

    Reply
  53. jend’isère

    Her beauty surpasses anything put in a bottle.

    Reply
  54. Beverly

    You brighten Annie’s life in so many ways, good friend, just as much as she brigthens yours!
    Thanks for a sweet story today.

    Reply
  55. Jeanne

    “How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these.”

    Reply
  56. jann

    What I know…our bodies and faces may
    age, but our spirit, our soul, never
    ages. The lessons that we learn as
    we walk through this life accumulate
    in our spirits, like chapters in a book.
    If we have a right attitude, these lessons
    give us wisdom, something that many younger
    people haven’t learned yet. Now that I am
    in my late 60s, I find that some younger
    people treat me with disrespect. In my
    mind, I then like to picture them at my age.
    The years do pass by quickly. When I was
    young, I was taught to treat older people
    with respect. I have had many wonderful
    friends who were much older than me. I have
    learned much from them. Their love and
    friendship remain with me, even after they
    have departed this life. Being a kind person brings many blessings.
    jann

    Reply
  57. Kathy

    Ahhhhh… This was a magnificent story. Cheers to your dear Annie, and blowing raspberries to the flip sales girl. Sounds like you two had a delightful time, all things considered. – Kathy

    Reply
  58. Alison Whittington

    I don’t like that phrase either, and I don’t like the way older people say, “When I was your age,” because it’s equally as patronizing, no matter how well it is meant. So much better, in the latter case, to simply say, “When I was in my 30s” or “When I was 16,” etc.
    In either direction, it divides and separates people, rather than creating the bond that I think most people who say those things are trying to create.

    Reply
  59. Ida from South Africa

    Your Annie-friend sounds like a treasure! “No one lives long enough to learn everything they need to learn starting from scratch. To be successful, we absolutely, positively have to find people who have already paid the price to learn the things that we need to learn to achieve our goals.” (Brian Tracy)

    Reply
  60. Lemon Tree Tami

    Annie is always a joy to read about. Obviously the clerk was under the impression that only younger women want/need to look good. No matter the age, I think that all women want to pamper themselves sometimes. Way to go Annie!

    Reply
  61. Betsy

    Go Annie! My mother is 95 and when we are out, so many people speak to me and not to her. Her hearing, even with two high tech hearing aids is terrible, but she still deserves to be treated as the wise and intelligent woman that she is. We will have to create a cultural shift if we wish to be treated differently when we reach a “certain” age!

    Reply
  62. The Little Red Shop

    Wow…the nerve of some people! Annie is just lovely and I am so happy that you stuck up for your dear friend.
    : )
    Julie M.

    Reply
  63. Angelica Bays

    I hope to be as gracious as Annie…someday!

    Reply
  64. Deryn Mentock

    How blessed you are to have this lovely, wise woman as a friend!

    Reply

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