Golden Years

Today is my brother's last day of work. He retires tomorrow. It's also his qualifying birthday tomorrow (Happy Birthday you old, old man.). It's amazing to think he's A) old enough to get old age retirement and B) lived long enough to make it to that age.

I mean, our parents' generation made it into retirement age, but this generation, not so much. Terrible health that puts them into disability, pain and dying young is the family pattern (everybody but Johnny). Or addiction (Johnny- and Tommy to an extent). Beery is now at the age when if he makes it through the next year he will be the oldest-lived of all my brothers.

He's had a good worklife and gotten to do some things he always wanted. He wanted to be a cop from the time he was litle, yelling at our grandfather, "You're under arrested!" In the 70s and 80s he was NYPD and I think, the happiest I ever saw him. He was single, young, in great shape. He drove a new Camaro. And a big motorcycle. He had the hair, the leisure suits, the weekends in the Hamptons. When we both lived at home in the 70s we watched The Gong Show together and played Pong- a brand new thing. He was happy. He says he was happy in Viet Nam. but I remember how he was when he first got home. You had to tap his foot to wake him. It was your own fault if you were hurt because you didn't do it that way.

He got married. They've been married 29 years. It hasn't been easy but they're still tolerating each other. Nobody's even bruised.

After the PD he went back to school and ended up Director of Rehab at a huge physical/relearning rehab center. He's done well.

So he enters the Golden Years. I don't believe he'll not work. He has all knds of specialized training to do freelance things. It pays very well. And he can't not work. He gets nutty if he doesn't work.

I wish him peace and quiet time to read. I wish him continued financial security. I wish him many, many years of "retirement".