Tophat...My dear ol' daddy used to tell me that after he retired, my mother kept him so busy he didn't know how he ever had time to go to work. I've got a sneaky suspicion my wife will be able to find a honey-do project from time to time. I'm already looking for places to hide. :) As a matter of fact, I've been sorta thinking about a volunteer gig for myself. I worked for a while at Citizens Hospital and their volunteer staff does a good job with patients and family. I just might decide that would be a good place to spend a few hours a week.

Wayward- You are saying things I always thought I would say. I bet you are going to totally enjoy retirement.
I didn't intend to paint "woe is me" - I do some consultation projects, some volunteer work- and I am indeed doing some things I never had time for.
I traveled the larger part of my career- so I now tend to be a homebody- for me, that is new and refreshing. I relocated several times, I now have a place that is home.
My long-winded point; I certainly understand Mr. Garcia's motivation.

Tophat...I am sorry that you are not enjoying your retirement. I know that some people are wired differently from me. I worked at Gulf Oil (that was the job I really loved) until Chevron bought us out and something over 22,000 people lost very good jobs with excellent benefits. I've been bitter ever since. Uh, back to the point I wanted to make.

We had a guy who had worked for Gulf for something over 40 years and he hit 65 and retired. One of the presents he was given was his security badge with the employee number voided in the computer. Long story short, he decided he didn't like not working and started to show up at the office. He'd time his arrival so he could come in with a crowd. He'd wear his ID and the security people didn't know he was retired. He went up to his old department and worked for free for almost a month until he was found out. The manager got into BIG trouble -- I didn't know managers could get in that much hot water. In the end, Gulf hired him to work as a private contractor -- no benefits and he was responsible for his own taxes, but he was probably the most dependable person in the building. I'm not wired that way, so I don't understand. Somebody asked me the other day if I was REALLY going to retire. I told him that at five o'clock on the last of March next year, the most dangerous place in Victoria will be between me and the door.

I took early retirement (which I thought was a lifelong goal of mine) - the company being sold, then a health issue caused it to happen-- I was not near ready-
I would go to work tomorrow, if that was feasible in my world. Next to family, my career was always most important. I never took all vacation time, more like a day or two at a time- I always had things I wanted/needed to do at the office.

I know a lot of people are really looking forward to retirement- but for me, it ain't all it is cranked up to be.

Please understand that I'm not trying to be mean here. I admire anyone who can work and enjoy it as long as Mr. Garcia -- especially the enjoyment part. I had one of those jobs I really loved, but the company was bought out and I had to go elsewhere. I do, however, find it somewhat sad that a man of 90 has nothing else in his life but work. I will retire in 10 months and I can't wait! I'm looking forward to travel with my wife who's been retired for quite some time. She used to say that she was retired and I'd remind her, "Darlin' until you start collecting Social Security you ain't retired, you're just unemployed. Well, NOW she's retired and never lets me forget. I see how much she's enjoying life as a retired lady and I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas. Well done, Mr. Garcia.

Kudos to Mr. Garcia for having such a great work ethic. I know of no other person who has spent 70 years on the job. And Kudos to the Chesnick family; you must be a wonderful family to work for to have kept Mr. Garcia wanting to spend 70 years with you.

Good human interest story.