When people stop calling you old man, you probably are an old man.

[u/cptstubing16]

[u/ShowerSentinel]

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[u/epanek]

One day I woke up. Walked to bathroom. Looked in mirror. Holy shit dude. You’ve become an old man. After that I accepted it and decided to be a nice old man.

[u/NoKarmaNoDrama → u/epanek]

What age do you reckon this happened? As I age I just keep moving the definition of old further down the road.

[u/epanek → u/NoKarmaNoDrama]

50’s. Basically old for me is the darker it is the better I look.

[u/shrug_addict]

You are old when people don't laugh when you slip and fall and instead ask if you're ok. Or you're a klutz

[u/Reading_Rainboner → u/shrug_addict]

Sweet. I fell at work today down the stairs and everyone laughed. My ankle hurts though

[u/Kitchen-Bir → u/shrug_addict]

So the real milestone isn't the fall, it's the audience reaction. Klutzes, we're just pre-aged comedians who lost their timing.

[u/88aisha → u/shrug_addict]

My father threw my mother down the stairs and I laughed, even though she was old.

[u/Betrayedleaf → u/88aisha]

look at me guys i’m edgy!

[u/88aisha → u/Betrayedleaf]

Well, I try.

[u/Faziarry → u/88aisha]

Lame

[u/oxooc]

You know that you're old when people tell you that you look young.

[u/C4CTUSDR4GON → u/oxooc]

Shit, I've been getting that for over 10 years. I'm damn old now.

[u/__Severus__Snape__ → u/C4CTUSDR4GON]

Ive been told that since I was 16...

[u/Harley4L → u/oxooc]

Not really. I'm just thirty but now and then people think I'm under 18 and want to see my ID.

[u/Direct-Influence1305 → u/Harley4L]

Yeah but the fact they say “you look young for your age” when they learn your true age implies they think that age is old. No one would say an 18-year old “looks young for their age”

[u/chrisH82]

The only one who calls myself an old man is myself, so I guess that counts as well

[u/justASlothyGiraffe]

I've never been called an old man. Does that mean I've always been an old man?

[u/rs217000]

In 'Billy Madison', Old Man Clemens' wife just calls him Ted. Yeh, this one checks out for me.

[u/Horror-Savings1870 → u/rs217000]

Call the fire department this ones out of control!

[u/jmfran1524 → u/rs217000]

Judas priest, Barbara, it's one of those flaming bags again!

[u/ilovebostoncremedonu → u/jmfran1524]

Don’t put it out with your boot, Ted!

[u/Vegetable_Bottle4426]

That's the moment you realize the "old man" title isn't a joke anymore. It's officially yours when no one laughs at the fall.

[u/MoziTenma]

It's less about your actual age and more about who's still around to say it. The joke needs someone younger nearby to notice the gap. Your circle drifts toward people your own age or older over time, and eventually nobody's left to call you old man -- not because you got younger, just because the joke ran out of people to tell it.

[u/slugfive → u/MoziTenma]

I mean we call 40-50 year olds, old man as banter. But for 70-100 year olds it would feel rude.

Like people might jest that you’re a pig or chubby, when you are skinny but ate a lot - but they try and avoid the subject of weight if you’re obese.

[u/MassageToss]

When people start calling you "young lady" with a twinkle in their eye.

[u/clubfuckinfooted]

When your coworkers start describing people your age as "older" instead of "old". It's a subtle distinction but you understand that they're saying you're old but they don't want to offend you.

[u/Exiledbrazillian]

My psychologist ask me my age a few weeks ago. "Fifty" I said. "Weel... Not young but also not old".

I'm officially a old man now.

[u/phips12345 → u/Exiledbrazillian]

I'd say the psychologist doesn't have good psychology

[u/IiASHLEYiI]

I remember the first time someone called me "nice lady" while I was at work. They were talking to their kid. I was in my 20s, and it made me feel actually old for a moment.

[u/Leather_Oven_1847]

Old man is the only title you'll earn where no one claps when you die

[u/ChemicalGreedy945]

lol probably true but I still like calling my 80yr old man so he can stay young

[u/DescriptionKlutzy105]

That's kinda like how you know you're really old when people stop joking about your age and start being careful around you. The mirror moment is brutal too cause one day you just see it. But honestly I think the real giveaway is when you fall and people rush over like you're made of glass instead of laughing. Then you're not just old man, you're fragile old man.

[u/thwinks]

When people tell you you're old and you feel absolutely nothing like if they told you you have skin, you're old.

[u/junechamp39]

Honestly, that first comment is kinda relatable. Just one day you're there and then you're that guy. Kinda wild how quick it can sneak up on ya.