All my life, I have wondered what this day would be like. When I was young, it was just some far off crazy thought. As the days have come closer, the thought has been more like a dream - the kind where you laugh and say "Yeah! Right. That will be the day" Now suddenly it is here. It happened a couple of days ago. No more getting up every day and going to work, calling on customers and preparing bid proposals. No more company car allowance. No more paychecks!!!! Yep That is what it is like to be retired.
The folks at work threw a party where everyone in the company got a a half day off to have BBQ and listen to people talk about me. Andy Harris will be taking my place - Man does he look young or what?
The boss made fun of my golf skills, which is fine; they don't pay me the big bucks because I am a good golfer. The President of our 800 employee company flew into town for the event as well as the Chief Financial Officer and the Head of Human Resources. And the company even gave me a gift certificate towards a really expensive new camera. I was so scared that it was going to be a set of golf clubs, or worse yet, a gold watch.
One of the most touching parts was when Kirk Kirkland got up to say how much he appreciated the time we had worked together. I hired Kirk 34 years ago when I started my own company. We have had good times and some rough times over the years, but it was good to see Kirk only remembering the good times.
Pipe fittings, fire extinguishers and family all in one place. I am so grateful that the family was invited to attend and so glad they could share this day with me.
Now I have to figure out what we are going to do with my life. I will miss the guys at work and I will miss my interactions with my customers, but I think that this is what I worked my whole life for in the first place. To be able to get to a place where I have provided for my family and now have enough left over for Janene and me - that was the whole plan. I am nervous and a little bit anxious, but I do think that I am standing on the edge of a dream - a good dream.
