Excuse Me? Did You Call Me Ma'am?

I took the kids to the pool yesterday, I thought I was looking fairly hip. I had evaluated the other mothers in the baby pool (don't act like you don't do it too); I was the thinnest (a rare occurrence), was wearing the cutest suit (the only bikini amongst a sea of modest tankinis) and had the best tan. We were only able to stay at the pool for an hour and a half because I had to go to the gym, so I was trying to keep track of time. There isn't a clock hanging in the baby pool area so when I knew we were getting close I told Jack I was going to quickly check the clock and instructed Ben and Lauren to come with me. The high school age lifeguard over heard me and said "Ma'am, ma'am", he couldn't possibly be talking to me so I kept on my way. "Excuse me, ma'am" I wondered whose attention he was trying to get, but I knew it wasn't me. "Excuse me, ma'am, it is 3:40” Dear God, he was talking to me! "Thanks" I said as I walked back to my post at the baby pool with my tail between my legs.

I know this is the south. I am willing to admit that I am significantly older than the lifeguard. I am not one of those mothers that hit on the lifeguard like the ones that we used to make fun of when I was life guarding a million years ago. But, ma'am? Am I old enough to be a ma'am? I teach my kids to say "yes ma'am" to me, but they are 2 and 5. I am not prepared to be ma'am-ed by a 17 year old for another 12 years!