DEAR ABBY : I am 54 and already facing ageism. Some of my neighbors who are in their 30s and 40s make ageist statements aimed at me. These people do not know me, but happen to live in my building. One time, I was wearing a brand-new purple winter coat I loved. It was a gift from a close friend. A woman complimented me on my coat, followed by, “I didn’t know you could wear something like that at your age.” I was offended but remained silent and didn’t react emotionally.

The next incident occurred in front of a group of people in the elevator. I was going down with my new mountain bike, ready to take it for a spin, when a young couple got on. The man said, “Nice bike! I didn’t know people your age could still ride mountain bikes.” His girlfriend covered her mouth with her hand, and everyon

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