And because I am, I think I know a few things. After all, when you are soixantaine, you SHOULD get a little respect. 
     Being of this distinguished, erudite, accomplished, and applauded rank gives me permission to be just me. After all, it wasn't always this way. I used to have to care. 
    I used to have to calculate how people would react to me when I was not soixantaine, and that was a bother. But not anymore. I'm of the elevated status now where my word falls where'er it may, and however that settles in the mind of who receives it is their business- because I'm not in the business of pleasing others. You get this way when you're soixantaine, as most people might eventually be. 
    I early on suspected that I probably didn't have to do anything special to be soixantaine, if the ones I encountered were any indication. I, before attainment, and ever the sponge, closely studied their ways for I knew that one day I might achieve soixantaine position, and then, before I was even ready, I was! One of THEM. 
      But it's not like the lot of us get along, you understand. We're not over at each other's houses talking story, breaking bread, or celebrating in any way that we're soixantaine. We just ARE. And that's a cold hard fact.

     I remember the day I became soixantaine. Ah, what a day it was. If I only remembered it more than remembering that it happened..... 
     I will let on to a secret, though. Those who are not soixantaine look up to us, the ones that are, and think that we have x-ray vision almost, some mysterious powers of perception, for we are known for giving sage advice. Guess we can't help it. Were those not soixantaine receptive to our wisdom we could save them a lot of trouble, but advice has to be heeded to be effective, and in that, the ones who solicit us fall short most of the time. 
      Still, some of them do take our words to heart and the joy we feel at that is less than we probably would have if we were less than soixantaine, which we aren't, but used to be. I know that sounds confusing, but not to one who is soixantaine. 
      Please don't think that we're hidden away in caves either, or something like that. Many of us would LIKE to be, but a great number of us still have to work and we grumble about that like most other people, only people that are soixantaine grumble like none you've ever heard! Trust me, I've experienced them. Be thankful that you, probably not soixantaine, don't have to. 

      Are us soixantaine a powerful force on society? We're great in number, yes, we get things done (only because we know better to do it now instead of then), so that's also a yes, and we're incredibly efficient because- I'll let you in on another little secret- we're lazy! Remember the part where I said listen to our advice? There's WISDOM there. 
     So where am I going with this? You'd think I had all the time in the world! Thing is, get a soixantaine talking and you could be stuck listening for hours. 
     Lucky for you, though, is the fact that a soixantaine's day is very structured and mine is no exception, so I have to take leave now. There are many things to do on my daily activities list and I hate to miss a single one. But before I go, I'll leave you with a favorite quote of mine, uttered by a fellow soixantaine:
     "Never ask a soixantaine what he can do for his country. He's done enough! Ask a soixantaine what his country can do for him!"

     'Soixantaine'- French word, means 'sixty or so, around sixty'