Four years ago today, after 36 years with the same company, and 40 years since graduating from college, I became unemployed by choice. The founder of the company once told me that I had a job for as long as I wanted it. When I told my boss why I was quitting, to assume Durable Power of Attorney for my father, he offered me a 3-month leave-of-absence. For a variety of reasons, both practical and personal, I no longer wanted the job.
After my father’s stroke, for several months I commuted between Boston and Phoenix every other week, with no end in sight. I knew that being free from my job for the following three months wouldn’t be enough, and that definitely proved to be true. Disregarding every other consideration, I had always liked the idea of retiring 40 years after graduating from college. When I told my father that his stroke made it easy for me to act upon that idea, he laughed and said, “Glad to have helped!” That was one of the few lighthearted moments we were able to share in those difficult ten months between the stroke and Dad’s passing.
Dying with your boots on should be by choice, and not by necessity. Thanks to the way the founder set up the retirement plan, I had the money to quit.
Sorry, my spell checker combined puckish and humor.
Probably one of the last times Dad’s puck is humor made an appearance. As I’ve said many times, you outdid yourself as Durabe Power of Attorney. I know most of it was a neverending waking nightmare for you, but hey! You always as left fresh, delicious Fig Newtons in the pantry for the rest of us. Liz also gets the jewel-encrusted crown. No, wait, I still think you should get a real silver surfboard.