Enjoying the life of a retiree is as easy going as it gets; provided you have all your faculties and have managed to avoid any major medical problems. I can share a recent experience that made me wonder about this life I have lived that has managed to reach that biblical plus ‘three score and ten’.
Forty years ago, I was in my mid-thirties and enjoying life. I had a beautiful and loving wife that was born to be a mother. Our two sons would echo that to this day. The white stucco two-bedroom bungalow was a touch small but had great curb appeal and lots of yard for the boys. This was our first house and happiness was now our landlord. My wife had worked her way up in the banking business and I had the dream job of a lifetime with the largest consumer good packaging company in the world. Who could ask for more?
I was a member of a service club and with that came a lot of commitment to the community and also many new friends that were members. One member in particular was frustrated with his current job and continuously mentioned this fact to me and was basically looking for a referral to a company where he could prosper, and use his sales experience to achieve a higher level for his long-range career; he hinted that a job like mine would be a real life dream.
He was ecstatic when he was hired by the company that I had contacted for him: he was now going to be a friend for life, he assured me. Two years later we formed a partnership in an investment opportunity. The two partners were about to discover how the game of business rules differ from the pool table, dart board and golf course.
After an initial investment, in the low five figures, my old pal became distant and the business venture ended after waiting over three months for reimbursement of his share. Did I win this round? I ended our partnership. The only constant for him was beating me at darts. I dominated in pool and golf, but that was forty years ago and I haven’t spoken to him since.
My dream job working for a number one blue chip company was as good as it gets. Company car, generous expense account, and a fair and livable salary. The company was one of the few large conglomerates that had never in history laid off an employee and also gave added compensation in the profit sharing program. To expand on that, in my sales position, I could earn fifteen months salary in twelve months. It really was (or should have been) a job for life.
Now I have tipped my career path, by the brackets.
What would have convinced me to leave this job for life? Maybe I should rephrase that what, to a who?
It was the “Gucci Man”! Now that needs clarification.
