Wednesday, July 31, 2019

The Forced Humility of Retirement

Image result for retired dictator
Whether you like it or not, except for your own coming and going, you are not in charge of as much in retirement. Not as important in the worldly way of things. People may not respond with the same alacrity when you order them about. You may not be able to squelch criticism or inquiry the way you did when you were in charge. Business acquaintances may not exchange favors since you have remarkably fewer to offer. You may not be able to demand blind loyalty from folks like before. Aids will no longer bring you coffee. Honors may come from organizations only insofar as you are able to write checks. Your outbursts will no longer be mitigated by sycophants. Neither CNN nor your children will return your calls. You will lose your Bitcoin wallet credentials and the money the Ukrainians secretly sent you. Felony charges from North Carolina will resurface. 

If, for some wild reason, few of these apply to you, please return that expensive bottle of wine I sent you for Christmas.