On the way to the dog park this afternoon with Miles and Saoirse, I stopped off to get a Latté and a pastry, at Stella's.

I parked in the same spot that a certain brainless had spent far too long shufling back and forth in, the other day.

As I rounded the corner, walking to the front of Stella's a couple of schoolkids were on the pavement, and looked up. One said, "Hey Mister! Will you make her give me a chocolate chip?"

I replied that they'd have to sort it out amongst themselves, and carried on my way.

Afterwards it occured to me, that that was the first time, I've ever been referred to as "Mister". Obviously, I've been referred to, by adults, as "Mr Turner", but this was different. This was... odd.

The use of the term "Mister" in that context, is (I think) uniquely American, and given that I've only spent 3.5 out of 36 years in the US, statistically, it's hardly a surprise that it's the first time I've been called it. It's not disrespectful, or rude, but like I say, it was odd to be called it.

It made me sound old. Worse yet, it made me sound, .... like a grown-up.