I’ve Become Invisible. It’s Awesome.

Radical gratitude challenge, day six.

Photo by Lisa H on Unsplash

So Keanu Reeves, age 55 (What?! Keanu Reeves??? Ten minutes ago he was playing Bill! Or Ted. I forget which) has sent the Twittersphere into euphoria because he showed up at a gala with an age-appropriate date. Meaning, the lovely lady in question has salt-and-pepper hair, a few character lines in her comely face, and in no way resembles a Bratz doll.

She’s nine years Keanu’s junior. And they might be just friends. Still, compared to the familiar spectacle of embryonic sirens on the arms of senior movie stars, Keanu’s appearance with this comfortable-in-her-imperfect-skin woman was taken by many as an affirmation that women over a certain age — which in Hollywood seems slightly north of 20 — still have currency.

Among the celebrants is Ali Drucker whose recent opinion piece in the New York Times (“If Keanu Reeves’s Date Can Embrace Looking Her Age, I Can Too”, Nov. 6, 2019) both trumpets her admiration of the momentous date — pun intended — and explores what it means to her as a self-regarding feminist who nevertheless is shopping for Botox in anticipation of her upcoming wedding. Because, after all, Ms. Drucker has entered her 30’s.

I entered my 30’s during the Reagan administration, so pardon my eye roll. But I get it. Ms. Drucker is only…