Deedon's Blog

When I was in high school in Wauconda, Illinois, the school was a combination Junior and Senior High School.  The only school library was shared by both groups of students.  In my Junior year (i.e. 11th grade) at WTHS, I went to the check out desk with a book to take home. The student librarian started looking for my card in the box that held the cards for the Junior HS students.  I was (just a little bit) insulted.

Later in life, I have usually been pleased when my age was guessed to be something younger than it actually was.  The older I got the truer this was.  At the age of 39 I was taken to be 29 by a man interviewing several prospective employees.  Even though I made it clear what my true age was, I believe the younger look got me a job I badly needed and wanted.  I was happy.

Had I been, or wanted to be, a drinker or smoker in my late teens or early twenties, most likely I’d have been unhappy with having my age underestimated.  But I wasn’t, so it was never a problem.

Tuesday of this week, I was surprised to be asked for my date of birth when I purchased 2 cans of spray paint.  I kid you not!  Here is a picture I took of myself when I got home so you can see me as the checkout lady had seen me less than an hour earlier.

I am aware of some locations having ordinances or laws prohibiting the sale of spray paint to minors.  It does not seem to be a Federal law.  I have been unable to find it in the statutes of the State of Indiana.  Nowhere in the on line searches of the ordinances of Tippecanoe County can I find such a regulation.  Likewise, I have failed to find it in the rules of the City of Lafayette.

Please understand that I have not done a truly thorough search of any of these sources of our government issued ‘commandments’.  All I did was a quick Internet search.  I have found reference to such laws in California and some other states.  None for Indiana or any of the sub-government bodies in the Hoosier State.

So the laws may be on the books.  I’m sure the checkout lady only asked for my date of birth because she was instructed to do so.  I’m sure the instruction was given because someone above her, or someone who programed the computer/register she was using, believed it to be the law at some level.

But I have had another thought.  (Two in one day – good for me!)  Perhaps there is a law stating a maximum age for which a person may purchase spray paint.  Several months ago I purchased four cans of spray paint and was not asked for my date of birth.  A month or so ago, I purchased a can of spray paint and was not asked for my date of birth.  Both of these purchases were made at the same store where I made this purchase on Tuesday.

When I purchased the four cans, I did not have a beard.  The beard was present when I purchased the single can, but since then it has grown a bit more.  There is no doubt that I may now look older than I looked at those times.  I must now look too old to qualify for such a purchase.  But, since I was allowed the purchase after supplying the mandated information, it appears I have not yet actually reached the age where the law sees fit to block me from acquiring spray paint.

Perhaps, by the next time I need some spray paint, I will have crossed over the age line our wise legislators have chosen as the dividing point between spray paint responsibility and spray paint non-responsibility.  This shall not deter me from my need to paint some household object a new color.  I’ll just recruit someone to make the spray paint purchase for me.  I have in mind my grandson.  He won’t be too old, he is only seven.