those halcyon days

This morning on campus I overheard two students chatting in the hallway, waiting to go into class.

He, very politely: "How are you this morning?"

She, surprised, "Very well. Thank you! And... WOW, nice patterns!"

He was wearing a zip-up hoodie with a floral pattern, a plaid shirt, and striped pants. Orange shoes.

"Thank you! I like patterns." Then, thoughtfully, with his head cocked to the side, "You know... it's funny. I wasn't like this when I was younger."

This made me chuckle (inside), and reminded me of the day when five-year-old Seth seriously asked me, "Remember when I was just a little guy, and I used to put worms in my pockets?"  

Not the worms bit, the "...when I was just a little guy" part. We just feel so old when we're eighteen, or five, and the past is an alien world.