I Am Middle Aged: Part Deux

So yesterday, I'm in indie favorite Twist & Shout buying a gift certificate and purusing CDs (Score! Tom Waits' Blue Valentine used!) I am paying, when I notice a counter dump announcing that it's the street date for the new Pearl Jam CD. That's not so interesting, but what gets my attention is a quote praising the band or the CD or whatever.

I have the dump (it was small) in my hand and I'm reading. Stopped dead in my tracks when I see, "Blah blah blah and etc. etc. etc." by John Doe and then parenthetically "of X". Does ANYONE not know that John Doe is "of X"? How could that be?

The cashier notices my scrunched up nose and puzzled expression, and in complete disbelief I say, "Seriously, there are people who don't know John Doe?" Pause. "Have I gotten that old?"

With a gentle laugh and a subtle nod, he reinforced it. Yes, I have gotten that old.

(He did make me feel better though when he said, "Kids today. You'd be surprised how much of it they don't know.")