Generation Gap??

I had a reality check yesterday that is still blowing my mind. "Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore."

Once again I was an unwilling rider of our local transit system, seated in front of what I would identify as a 16 year old girl.

Firstly, it was that she was talking so loudly on her cell phone that drew me into her conversation. Then the subject matter had me enthralled and disgusted simultaneously.

The "young lady" was discussing her sex life with the caller on the other end, clearly and without and discretion, identifying that she didn't consider herself a slut, because she had only been with 9 people and that there were surely other friends their age who had championed that number. She went on to note that none of the people she had been with had been enjoyable as they were all too tall for her, and she was unable to kiss them while getting her freak on.

At first I thought that this was all just for show, amusement for the bored and interested, also riding the bus that day. But as the conversation continued it was clear that she just had absolutely no regard for who might be overhearing the details of her sordid affairs.

By the time she got to "wanting to run away to prove to herself that her parents loved her and how she hated it when her mother was nice to her" I was about to turn around, snatch her phone from her and try to identify her parents in the address list to update them on this child who was desperate for attention. Thankfully, the next stop was mine, and I decided it was better not to cause a scene.

I found this whole experience very alarming. At 16 I was not talking about having been with 9 partners, infact I hadn't been with any at that point. And had I have been, I would have had enough respect for myself to not disclose it to anyone within ear shot.

So now I'm wondering if I'm just old... or if this just isn't normal??It's only been 14 years since I was 16 but I'll tell you, if this girl is any indication of what 16 year old girls are commonly up to these days, I may just stick with raising dogs.

I thought we didn't start noticing generation gaps until we were seniors??