Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
I sit at home in my office with “my box” at my feet wondering what awaits me in my next chapter.
I put the words “my box” in quotes because it was the term a good friend always used anytime business got tough at the car dealership where we worked and he feared some of us might get fired.
“Well, I’ve got my box ready,” he would say, referring to the box he would use to load the stuff in his office if his employment ended. Truth is, he didn’t have much of a box because he didn’t have much in his office.
I wasn’t around to see if he ever got a chance to pack that box or not before he died.
I’ve packed a box quite a few times over my professional life, sometimes of my own choice and a few times not. This time – retiring as executive director of the Chamber of Commerce -- was a little different because it will likely be the last time I clean out my office.
Years ago I read the entire series of Travis McGee mystery novels by John D. MacDonald. McGee was a self-professed beach bum who lived aboard his houseboat The Busted Flush. His card listed his profession as salvage consultant and he did jobs to get things people had lost and either couldn’t get back on their own or with the help of the authorities.
His philosophy on retirement was that people had it all backward and waited to enjoy life until they were too old to really savor it. McGee preferred being retired until his pile of cash ran low.
I really dug that philosophy but never put it into play. I never got those big payoffs and was always too worried about what’s next in my work life to ever enjoy being unemployed.
It feels different this time. My Medicare card is on the way and utilities and food are my only bills. It will be good to unplug and not be the fire chief on the next 3-alarm blaze at work.
People who have known about my retirement have generally asked me two questions. What do you plan to do and are you going to keep writing a column?
The answer to the last question is yes, I’ll keep on writing. I may write more. Maybe my writing will even improve.
The answer to the other question is I’m not entirely sure. I would like to go take a long rest aboard The Busted Flush but Trav hasn’t invited me over yet.
I want to travel the country a bit. I want to fish in places I didn’t know existed. I want to fish in places I’ve always wanted to try. And I want to fish in places I haven’t fished in a long time.
My biggest drawback to this plan is a spine racked by scoliosis and difficulty standing very long or walking very far. To start I plan on going on the McGee rehab plan, a prescription of rest, fresh air, water and sun, friends and rum.
OK, I’m not too fond of rum and I’ll probably wear more sunscreen than McGee would recommend. I may not jog the beach like McGee but I plan to keep arthritis at bay with workouts in the pool. After we’ve attacked the problem in that manner I’ll think about surgery if it’s an option.
Either way, I’m going to live life to the fullest extent possible, listen closely for the voice of God and go where he sends me. If it means my body is well enough again to wade high mountain streams I’ll rejoice. If I’m doing my fishing from a boat or a lawn chair I’ll be equally happy.
Karl Terry writes for Clovis Media Inc. Contact him at:
