Back a little

What ship you on?  

I heard an echo of a voice say that as I was falling asleep. I was eighteen then or maybe freshly turned nineteen. I'm lost in the years tonight with a birthday approaching. 

I was in another small city for a conference today where I worked in the more recent past. I couldn't remember how many years ago it was. I saw people from my professional past and visited with them a little. A hug (such a strange feeling). One of them I did not recognize at first. It took me some rewinding.

I stopped for an early dinner at a Korean place I frequented for lunch when I worked nearby. The owner used to call me Superman. I saw her there today along with the same waitress. They looked much the same, except for the streaks of silver in their hair and a few more lines in their faces, sitting there making dumplings together. 

She didn't call me Superman today. Paunchy and white-haired now, unrecognizable, or maybe it's just that my glasses are different. 

Yeah, that's probably it.