My husband is three years younger than I am. That doesn’t seem like much, but occasionally just that age difference means that when I say something like “blame it on the bossa nova” he doesn’t remember the song. I make these kind of random comments frequently and he usually knows the reference. For instance he connects with the Laurel and Hardy line, “fine mess you got us into Ollie,” and even gets it wrong(me not us) the same way I do.
We can break out in the same advertising jingles when pressed, much to the annoyance of our grandchildren. “Brusha brusha brusha with Ipana toothpaste.” “You’ll wonder where the yellow went when you brushed your teeth with Pepsodent.” And of course we can chant the same bad jokes “knock knock who’s there?” “Banana””Banana who?” Repeated four times and finally “knock knock who’s there?” “Orange” “Orange who?” “Orange you glad I didn’t say banana.” Loud groans ensue.
A good friend of mine married a man twenty years older than she was. They had a good lasting marriage, but I always wondered about what culture sharing they could do. He was born in 1927 and grew up in the Depression. She was born in 1947 and grew up in the 50’s. He knew radio shows she had never heard of. She watched “Spin and Marty” on the Mickey Mouse Club. Not earth shattering differences, I guess, but a lot of cultural ground wasn’t shared.
I have enjoyed the various times I have posted about some material aspect of my youth and discovered that a number of my readers connect with those same drinks, books, tv shows, movies or songs. Sure I love learning about differences too. But at home I appreciate the short hand between my husband and me when I say “hit the road Jack.”
Saved By Words 
My wife is nine years younger. It’s not so much of a big deal, until we get back to when I was around ten, and she was three months old.
I once lived with a girl who was fourteen years younger. She was 21, and I was 35. That was one huge difference in experience, in 1986. I was only six years younger than her Dad! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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That is where it gets kind of dodgy I think. My friend definitely was after a father figure.
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I thought you might be interested in this ‘sequel’ to telling your husband to “hit the road Jack” (a 79 year-old song which may be older than you and your husband combined):
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I loved it. Thanks. But combined we are 141!
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Glad you loved it. Incidentally, the “Jack” in the song title is a name most jazz buffs will recognize: the late Jack Teagarden, one of the greatest trombonists of his day (he also signs the vocal chorus).
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Ah, the age difference but one learns to adjust in the process. You walk together in the same direction.
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That is a lovely way to put it. Thank you for another point of view.
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My husband and I are the same age and share many of the same memories.
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It’s fun that way.
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I know the brusha brusha jingle from Grease. It is included in the scene when the girls all have a sleepover. I have noticed that my younger son [the cool one – wink] has some interesting new slang words I would never have guessed the meaning of and everything is Wack!
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I didn’t realize that about “Grease.” Too fun. I am learning new slang too. Most recently “cringey.”
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Thirteen years age difference between my husband and I. Sometimes the confusion over cultural references can be kind of fun, as we explain them to each other.
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I can see that would be fun.
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Age doesn’t matter when you’re both adults & truly love each other. You enjoy learning the time setting of the other, same as marriage between differing cultures… it’s a delightful lifelong adventure! 😀
Just as every family on earth has its own familial culture & that is brought into every marriage (even when both are from the same nationality)…two different family cultures blending (or clashing) together… It’s a lifelong crazy marital adventure! 😉
Jennifer
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That is another good point. Since my husband I are from very different geographies we have some of that too.
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I also know the Pepsodeny jingle!! 😅 We had that in Jamaica when I was a kid.
Also, my mom is about 11 years older than my stepdad. 😱
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Do you think it makes a difference for them?
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Nope. They make jokes about it every so often, but for the most part, I forget. Dad is more educated and makes more money, so he still gets to be king of his castle in a sense. Mom (and I) own the house and has more wisdom, so he gets to be queen of her castle. It balances out. Might be different if that wasn’t the case.
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I like the division of responsibility.
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