I live in the city of Brisbane, Australia
and have been since my arrival here in 1963. I used to be pretty active
when I was younger but time and circumstances have changed me. Moving,
changing jobs, getting married, travelling, have all contributed to the
thinning of our fun group that used to get together. There are even fewer of us
left and keeping in touch. Consequently, I have become a sedentary person.
I still like my football (soccer) but I am too old to actively
partake in that sport now. I still watch the Premier League from
England though. I follow no particular team but I would like to see
some of the less wealthy clubs win honours now and again.
My children are now grown and leading their own lives. My wife and
I both work and so keep busy. We are never alone as the children are
here often in what they always refer to as ‘home’.
I am working part time now, teaching at a private college actually across the road from my home. Here the children are nothing like the children I remember from the public school. These are students determined to improve their lot and sacrifice half their Sunday to come to this college. The lively ones, unlike my previous public school, are very few. In fact, I wish they were a little more lively and contributed to class discussions, always a one sided affair, it seems! Yet, intellectually, these children can often dazzle you with their manners, industry,
determination and success.
I used to go fishing usually from the beach. Many a time I came
home wet, cold and empty handed but there were times the creel was full
of bounty and a nice bounty it was too. I often dreamt of the time I
would purchase my own dinghy to escape for the weekend, but other
priorities denied me that opportunity. I would not do it now, what with
the petrol prices, the different licensing regulations, the destruction
of the former good fishing grounds to put up marinas and coastal
estates. Where I used to get a feed of fish nowadays you will be lucky
to get a catfish but most likely you’ll end up with a puffer fish. It
is disgraceful.
So now, I potter around the yard, enjoy the views of my back veranda with a cup of coffee or tea, play the handyman, go to the occasional
movie with the children and with friends and I visit the local stamp clubs
on their operating days. Here is where I try to find the missing pieces
of my different stamp collections which occupy a great deal of my time.
So far, retirement has been good! I do as much of nothing as I possibly can. I live by the motto, "never do today what you can put off till tomorrow!" I hope my budget never becomes so restrictive that I have to give up on this hobby. The Australian system penalises all who faithfully
work, save and get ahead by denying them a pension. If you are (as the
Americans say) a bum, the government will look after you till you die!
That is Democracy? And to think I have been providing for one third of
a person on social security, according to the latest government
statistics, all this time. I was hoping for some recognition, a reward
at least or the Order of Australia on Australia Day for my efforts! I
am sure some politician will get my entitlements as they always do.
I can only count myself as very lucky. Married since 1967 with four
loving, non drinking, non smocking or doing drugs children, healthy and
employed all this time. What more can I ask for?
