I have an unwanted superpower.

[Croney]

Invisibility comes upon me when I'm not expecting it. I'll stand in an order line only to have the server look behind me and ask the next person what they want.

Yesterday I went into the dog groomer's to ask about making an appointment for my dog. A couple brought their dog in behind me. The clerk looked right through me and asked the couple if she could help them. I blurted out YES YOU CAN, and she didn't even seem to know where the voice was coming from.

This great but unpredictable talent of invisibility comes to people over 70 like me. I'm sure it starts forming earlier and goes unappreciated for a while.

[Squinch]

1. People are so frickin' rude sometimes. How can they DO that?

Unless you really did put on your invisible cloak, in which case what do you expect?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Cast off that obnoxious cloak of invisibility!

Make more noise!

Wave your arms, raise your voice and like that!

People notice me when I do those things. Try it..........you'll like it!

[True Dough]

3. You didn't mention your height

Are you 4-foot-2 and easy to overlook?

[Croney]

5. No, I'm 5'6" and not really thin.

Easy to overlook? Apparently yes!

[Croney]

4. Yes, but they see young people who just stand there!

Maybe I'll start wearing bright colors and shiny beads! 💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻

[marybourg]

6. For12 years I shopped at a Safeway store-

which was the only supermarket in the area- and they were unable to see women standing in line at a checkout counter. No matter how many women were on line, they were unable to see them and to decide to open a new checkout. Men, however, were quite visible, and as soon as one of them joined the line, no matter how few were already in line, a new checkout counter opened up.

I was very happy when a Kroger supermarket opened up across the street, newer, bigger, better, and they had the magic glasses which enabled them to see women as well as men, in order to gauge whether to open a new checkout !

[Croney]

7. That's it, the magic glasses!

Wider distribution needed.

[RandomAccess]

19. DU needs a like button

[Shrike47]

8. Sometimes I find muttering semi-under my breath helps. Also staring at the clerk.

I'm not kidding. Of course, I tend to just stop muttering and say something after a bit.

[Croney]

9. I think I'll try muttering.

They might want to get me out the door quicker.

[central scrutinizer]

18. You could neglect your personal hygiene

If the clerk's senses of sight and hearing aren't working, maybe their sense of smell is.

[Mr.Bill]

10. I'm invisaible

and inaudible, but only to my wife.

[George II]

11. That happens to me sometimes, too. I just ask loudly "am I invisible?", and add a word after "I"...

....if I'm particularly annoyed.

[locks]

12. It's not just age

it's also size. I'm 5 ft; when big tall usually young men nearly run me over I think they actually don't see me. Also, crossing a crowded intersection on foot I'm always appalled that people stride directly into me no matter which "side" I'm on as if I'm not there. All the stores now have such high shelves I cannot reach anything on the top shelf. One day I tried to reach a half-gallon milk and it fell on my head. I mentioned at the store that I was not the only short person on earth but they didn't make a change.

Most of the people I met in Europe were gracious and seldom rude. But I noticed that on the narrow sidewalks of Spain, France and even in UK people walked straight ahead and never looked to see if someone was coming toward them. I never saw one person step aside or say excuse me.

[PatrickforO]

13. Indeed. At the young age of 58, I'm losing visibility.

Kinda sucks.

[Kittycow]

14. I became invisible in my 40s

when I started looking like a middle-aged lady. Then I became less mobile in my 50s and started using a cane and orthopedic shoes. Even more invisible. I'm turning 65 soon (what?) so I'm super-duper invisible.

It only really bothers me when I smile at random people in public just to have a friendly countenance; they often react like I'm an axe murderer but I still do it anyway.

[Honeycombe8]

15. Oh, yeah...that starts happening after 45, actually.

There are tips to help make yourself more noticeable.

I think sometimes it's not just the age. It's the blahness and passivity of older women. They're so quiet, unnoticeable, sometimes meek. Sometimes they don't want to draw attention to themselves, and they're successful at it! A good example is when that Mr. Khan and his wife, father of the Muslim soldier. Remember how she stood off to the side, not saying a word? Not even making a facial expression. Almost as if she wasn't there.

Then, too, is the phenomenon where a couple outranks a single woman. Shopping in a furniture store, I had trouble once getting waited on when they were super busy, while a couple of couples who came in after me got helped. They zero in on the couples, figuring they'll be more apt to buy and will spend more. They might be right...I dunno.

But unless they think you don't have money, so that's not it...there are tips a person can do to be more noticeable in line. I notice when I look awful (like I've been working in the house and run to the store in a wrinkled t-shirt with no makeup), I'm not as noticeable to the staff in the grocery store. The nicer you look, the more upscale, the more attractive - the more noticeable. But we here in America put attractive & wealthy people up on a pedestal, don't we? We notice.

[marybourg]

22. Yes! On the passivity of older women. I tried to keep my

post above (on the Safeway lines) to the point, but I could have added: every time this happened I remonstrated with the checkout staff and frequently with the manager.

Almost every time they adamantly denied doing what they were doing, but, finally, one checker came clean. She said: "Yes, I know we do it. It's because women (almost all elderly in my community) are so tolerant. Men start to get irritated in just a few minutes and sometimes leave".

[Honeycombe8]

23. That's it! We need to speak up more, in a polite way. But speak up and out, nonetheless. nt

[Aviation Pro]

16. Mr. Pool sez...

[kag]

17. I'm starting to notice my own invisibility super-power.

Just yesterday I was at a hotel where the breakfast buffet was quite crowded. I stood in line for the toaster for a couple of minutes, and just when it was my turn a couple of girls (couldn't have been more than about 10 and 12) tried to step in front of me.

Now, I might be becoming invisible (early 50's here) but I'm certainly not inaudible. I told the girls I had been waiting, and it would be polite of them to wait till I was finished. The older girl politely, and with some deference, pulled her little sister back and allowed me through. I thanked them, and smiled.

Sometimes I think younger people just need to be reminded of their ability to see us older folks.

[drmeow]

20. Mystery Men - Invisible Boy!

The Invisible Boy developed the power to become invisible after years of being ignored. There’s just one minor glitch: he can only be invisible when absolutely no one is watching him do it… not even himself. If anyone looks at him while he’s invisible, he loses the power.

http://www.writeups.org/mystery-men-kel-mitchell-invisible-boy/

[Warpy]

21. Most women over 50 have the weird feeling of suddenly becoming invisible

and since it gets rid of catcallers and other street lowlife, it's very comforting.

The dog groomer idiot just didn't recognize anyone not holding a dog as human, I guess. I've been invisible in auto parts stores and audiophile shops but not recently.

[Trueblue Texan]

27. Yep!

Apparently we all start to fade in our late 40s. By the time we reach 50, we're just barely visible.

[Ohiya]

24. Do "The Walk"

My wife and will sometimes do "The Walk", (turn around and leave), if we are being ignored. The staff person may not care, and we are probably only inconveniencing ourselves, but it kinda feels good once in a while.

[Croney]

25. Oh yes.

[BigBearJohn]

26. You're only invisible if you let yourself be I pity the poor sucker who tries to ignore me

[Croney]

28. Sure, we're seen if we speak up.

And I do, after I'm overlooked. I'm just always surprised when I'm overlooked; I wasn't as a young woman. I'm seeing the humor in it more and more. That helps!