Have you ever wondered who might be the all powerful 'they'?  What anonymous individuals make up this group of decision makers?  And more importantly, why do their opinions play a part in determining so many aspects of our lives?

They dictate the fashions we will buy in the coming months.  They choose the color schemes we will use to decorate our homes and offices.  Even the design of our toothbrushes had to be approved by 'them.'  Drive down any highway and take note of the singular formula used to determine the style of automobile we can buy in any given model year.  The similarities are no coincidence.  They just decided somewhere along the way that we want to travel along the surface of this planet in little bubble shaped vehicles.  Maybe they watched the Jetsons as children and dreamed of emulating George in his space mobile.   Whatever the inspiration, they surely have made finding the family car in a crowded parking garage a real test of our powers of observation.   Maybe they need to build in a homing device that allows our bulbous but aerodynamic little autos to locate us when our arms are full of packages and one more step could cause collapse!

While discussing the concept of this column with a friend, she mentioned the one experience that all women of our baby-boomer age group must have in common.  Years ago our mothers all forced us to wear pure white linen skirts with tiny little pleats on summer vacations.  That hip magnifying piece of attire, along with the proper white pumps, nylon stockings and a pastel shell, was considered proper evening attire for a young lady.  I would be willing to wager a large sum of money that the same conversation between mothers and daughters occurred in every household during the early 1960's.   The teenage daughter would protest having to wear such an embarrassing outfit in no uncertain terms.   Her mother's response would always be the same: "But darling, they say everyone is wearing that this summer!?"   End of argument!   As we all know, THEY can't lose!  There is power in numbers . . . even anonymous numbers!

They actually have done a lot of good.   Without the worry of what they will say many of us might have thrown caution to the wind on more than one occasion.   I dare say that they have probably served as birth control for many young lovers.   They also manage to throw reams of statistics at us.  We tend to believe what they report to us as fact since they do have so much more experience.  We even cite what they report to us as proof of a truly reliable source.

Well, call me curious or negative or whatever they call that person who wants to look under the bagpiper's kilt to see if he really has nothing on under there as they have so often stated.   I simply have to see for myself to be satisfied that they are telling me the truth.   No one has ever been able to describe even one member of the organization that makes up this apex of the elite.   We can recognize a Kennedy, a Disney, a Grimaldi and any celebrity with an ounce of charisma.   These folks do not touch us in any real way.  While their lives are fascinating to some, they will never affect any part of our day to day existence.   Still, we know them and their idiosyncrasies.   But ask most anyone who the heck determined the design for the refrigerator; decided that women and men have specific roles to play in life; dictated to us what our position would be in the hierarchy of the animal kingdom and they will prevail.  After all, they have been around for a long time.   And should they be wrong in any given situation?   Well, they should know better but, they can't help it.   They deserve a second chance.   After all, they are truly overworked and underpaid.   Besides, they have had a hard life!  Furthermore, they know what is best for the rest of us!  At least, that is what they say!