walking around hearing singing on all the corners

from walter kirn’s rumination on getting older, “how i came out as gray”:

After taking my order, one of the girls behind the counter asked if she could ask me something. Being asked if you’re willing to be asked a thing is always a bad sign; I instantly stiffened.

“What?” I grunted. The girl, who appeared to be 18 or so, followed with something like: “It’s not that I think you look old or anything, but when was doo-wop, do you remember? Doo-wop music? When was that? The ’60s? The ’50s?” It just got worse. “The ’40s?”

“Late ’50s, early ’60s,” I said coolly, wondering if I was being paranoid. Did the girl really think that I was on the scene then or did she merely find me professorial, a man who appeared to be rich in general knowledge?

“That must have been so cool,” she said. “Walking around hearing singing on all the corners!”