This is a re-run of a popular post. It’s for those of us who sometimes feel as if we’re wearing a Cloak of Invisibility.
Maybe it’s the white hair that puts up that Invisibility Shield; maybe it’s the wrinkles; I’m not sure what triggers this phenomenon. For example, in a room full of younger people, the conversation swirls and sparkles, back and forth between those of lesser years but the old thing sitting in the corner, though she may try to join in, receives either pitying glances or a sympathetic smile but nothing she says is really taken seriously; it can’t be. 
She isn’t in the youth loop. Besides that, half the time she has no earthly idea what anyone is talking about. Technology lingo is beyond her; the weals and woes of young mothers and fathers are a thing of the past. Oh, she remembers, of course, but no one wants to hear about those musty old yesteryears.
It’s nice, though, in a way, because she can listen, look, and learn and nobody knows she’s there. This cloak is particularly handy for mystery writers. Just think of the clues, the authentic dialogue, the personal stories of intrigue she may hear and incorporate into the next book. So, be careful; you won’t notice her, but a writer of cozy mysteries may be near-by, hidden by a cloak of invisibility, listening to conversations, storing them away. You never know!
The Wearers of Invisibility tend to clump together. Old folks’ Sunday School classes, driving tips for seniors, retirement homes–there the Invisibility Shield drops and oldsters become just ordinary folk again. Nobody is a computer whiz. Pokemon is just a word with no meaning. People talk and people listen and it’s really quite nice. Although useful, that old Invisibility thing can get a little tiring.
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