On Turning 26

26: 13 x 2: two primes
supposedly also the prime of one's life...
yet, what is that feeling?
is it, can it, be slight fear?
25 was cool-a quarter of a century.
worthy of celebration for having reached a landmark year.
but 26...that seems so, well, grown up!
21/22-can still be passed off as youth...
a college student, time for gaiety and nonsense.
26 on the other hand, seems to mean business.
get a job, get a career, get a life.
make some decisions, follow that path.
find a mate, or at least put up with the constant external questioning and raised eyebrows as to why one is mateless.
internally, wonder if the state is impermanent or perhaps one destined to be a life long companion, instead of the afore sought after mate.
not that it would be the end of the world or a disaster, of course.
still, the question does 'burn!'
26 then-no longer a young adult, no longer a child except in the eyes of one's parents or grandparents.
scared yet optimistic...surely something good's gotta give?!
the highlight of the day?
getting 'carded:' asked for ID before being allowed to sit at the bar and have a drink.
ah, who'd have thunk it would make my night-but then, being mistaken for under 21, that too on a birthday five (hey another prime) years past that one, is surely worthy of mention?
perhaps not to the reading populace (i am being arrogant to think there is one aren't i?)
but certainly for me.
26-gawd already? have i really inhabited the planet for that long?
with what to show for it? some few, very light marks.
still i rest on the idea that i will be missed, if for some reason 26 does not translate to 27...
for the here, the now: 26-here i come!