I am a senior citizen, a pensioner. With little to do and with plenty of time to do it in, I offer to help out wherever I can in any sphere I could. Recently, a youngster solicited my assistance to fill a fairly detailed visa application to travel abroad. The relevant embassy had issued a voluminous brochure as 'Guidance notes', which I was compelled to wade through prior to filling up the form.

Hardly had I glanced through the first few paras, than I came across this note on "Gender", which stated that "Gender" should be "Your gender at the time of application". Frankly, I was flummoxed, bamboozled, and befuddled. For a Geriatric of my vintage, this note was enough to make my head swirl. Then, mercifully the young man whom I offered to help, had to help me out putting me in the correct perspective. "Olde order changeth, yielding place to new," But how, I wish I knew!

A. G. Abeywickrama.