Thank you Sir! (Signs of an aging man)

My regular readers know my pre-occupation with the aging process or as I like to call it, rigormortis. In one of my postings, Snap, Crackle, Pop...", I mentioned the weird sound effects that my brittle bones make. I also mentioned the many supplements I take to keep the grim reaper at bay. Besides the obvious signs of physical errosion, there is another "test" of sorts that let's you know that youth is fading fast. Here it is: The DUDE TO SIR RATIO. Let me explain. At one point in my younger life, people referred to me as "dude" "dawg" or "man" or any other term that the young people use. Incidently, my UK readers can substitute the word "lad" here to make the same point. At some point, people began to call me "sir" more often and dude less often. The greater the discrepancy in either direction, the clearer the signs that either: A- You are in the prime of your life or B- You need to learn terms like "PPO Insurance". In business settings, it is customary to use good manners and address people as "sir" or "ma'am". Such as, "do you want anything else with that order ma'am? I get it. However, besides being called "sir" more often and dude less often, I'm noticing how people call me sir. The other day, the barrista at Starbucks said, "hello sir". But he said it with such reverence as though I was the old uncle that he used to play basketball with as a kid. These days, being called dude is such a rare event like watching Halley's Comet. Did you hear that? I think my hip is out of place. Got to go.