John Doe Retired!

John Doe Retired!

That's right a nameless person that i made conversation for the past year as i went outside for a breather from my job.

Day after day he'd stop and say hi and ask how the day was. He would always have an interesting question about my work place. He never failed to ask " Any famous people living there yet?" and my answer was always "Yes, too many"

Well today as i peeked at the bar across the street to see if my sf giants had won the game he walked by. Dressed in a hawaiian shirt and some kakhi pants. He carried a small brown bag and a cup of coffee. He did not stop but he turned around as he walked and smiled and said " My last day of work for the rest of my life. IM RETIRED!" Lifted his cup of coffee to cheer and walked away to never be seen in this street again.

I could not be happier for the guy. He worked for 45 years for the company and now at the age of 60 odd years he retired. With little energy life has left him he now strolled on home with the hopes to enjoy his lifes savings. Maybe he already paid his house and he is going to do the mundane things all retired people do. Go for a walk to the park. Visit grandchildren. Maybe he doesn't have any grandkids or offsprings. What do you do with that? All that time just awaiting your final breath and hope that you had a good life. Hope that no minute was wasted or lived in vain. Hope that someone you bump into recognizes you from your vibrant youth. What do you do with something like that.

Well for his and all of our sakes i can only hope that we have as much joy as he displayed on this warm summer night as he walked away from his lifes work. We can only hope.

-Allan Fils-Aime