The Last Night

[RSKY]

Well........I am officially retired. Worked my last night in a factory tonight.

Why do women get emotional when saying goodbye?

My crew brought food in tonight and we ate at 'first break', that is 5:00. Then I started down the rows shaking hands with my people and telling them goodbye. It is 41 miles from my house to the plant and most live in Martin, Dyersburg, or somewhere else in Tennessee. So they, and I, know we will probably never see each other again.

I made it fine going down the rows shaking hands and slapping the guys on the back, trading insults and jokes, laughing and having a good time...... Until I got to the first young lady (actually about 30-35 but younger than my 56). As I had already done a dozen times I smiled, held my hand out, and said, "well I guess this is goodbye". She looked at me for a few seconds with her chin quivering, then burst out bawling and threw her arms around my neck.

What do you do?

All I could do was hug her back and say "it's okay honey, life goes on".

I have to stop and count. Yep, there are, were, seven women production workers in my section that have worked with me for more than a year. All but one cried and hugged me. The one that didn't is ticked at me for trying to fire her. If she had hugged me I would have expected a knife in the back.

As I continued around my section, which covered about two acres, I had some of the guys I had worked with the longest also suprise me. Two wouldn't look at me. They looked at the machine or at the floor when we talked.

I was not prepared for this.

I left halfway thru the shift.

Now I am retired, and planning on making up for all the years I have been apart from my lovely lady as I tried to make a living.

Life goes on.

[dcyrilc]

Congrats. That's a long run in one profession. I had 26 years in my first and I'm at 6 years on my second. I figure about 14 more years and I'll be right there with you.


Sorry, I guess you said 41 miles not 41 years.

[ultrarunner]

It's a milestone that not everyone reaches... take time to enjoy and remember you've earned it!

[mmurphy]

I am feeling a tear coming on right now.............. cause it is not me being able to retire!! Cograts, I think! I bet the boss has a lot of work for you to do now.

[JDgreen227]

I have been following and posting replies to your threads as the days dwindled down to none.

Got one question I need answered....are you going to spend more time on TBN now?

Once again, CONGRATULATIONS. I know I wouldn't miss that long commute, or the expense of buying the fuel. Know what is funny, I hate to drive, but I drove big trucks for a living for 31 years, when I was getting PAID to drive it wasn't so bad...

[jimmyj]

Congratulations RSKY. Health and happiness to you!

[jinman]

Woohoo! Welcome to the good side of life.

[NativeSon]

Yehaw!!!Congrats. Don't even try to wipe that smile off your face.

Good Luck & God Bless

Charlie

[Thomas]

Congrats well deserve.
Now you'll have more time for project list...fishing,napping,puttering etc. etc.

[Sigarms]

You're very lucky to have worked with such people.

Just recently found out a company I work with (who has been working with a "business adviser") let go an employee who has been with them for over 20 years. The guy let go was getting ready to retire in June, but the company just brought him into the office and let him go, just like that. Kind of lost a little respect for them because I know business is business, but don't know how you do people like that (particularly one who has been loyal and hasn't been a "problem").