The Job That Was

It ended without a bang or even a whimper. As I drove out of the parking lot expecting pomp and circumstance or some sort of recognition, I realized I was just any other car pulling out. But the difference was, I never ever had to come back.

Believe it or not, I came in today and actually did real work for a couple of hours before calling it quits. I briefed my staff on the status of what I left behind and then looked at the daunting check-list of places I had to visit before being cleared to leave. It was worse than the stations of the cross. Much worse because it dragged me all over this strange new building that is so hard to navigate.

I was to what I thought was the final stop when the woman said, “But did you ever have a security clearance?” I said probably because I used to travel for AID business. So it was back to another office only to learn my security clearance had been cancelled in 1993. Got the signature and that was it.

Back to the final woman again who issued me my “RETIRED” badge and marked me cleared to leave. My goal was to be out of there by 11:30.

It was 11:25 when I got back to my desk. A last check on my e-mail showed a message from my boss: “How long are you going to be here today?” I replied, “Five more minutes” and promptly walked out at 11:30. I’ll always wonder what she was planning to say to me.

The last day at such an important part of my life made me think back to other last days. In kindergarten we had a little graduation ceremony. In 6th grade we had a pool party. I hated junior high school too much to remember the last day. When I was a senior in high school, our class went on a bike ride on the last day of school. In college I probably skipped class and went to work in the bar where I had a second job to save money for my trip to Europe. In high school and college there was the cap and gown thing with a million rounds of pomp and circumstance as people paraded up to get their diplomas.

The difference between any of these other significant endings and today was that it was a group thing. It wasn’t like I was in the retiree class of 2007. I was quite on my own. I shook a few miscellaneous hands as I prepared to head out and then I simply left.

One person had stopped by to ask me an interesting question sometime during the morning: “What advice can you leave me with?” I quickly answered, “Don’t ever be afraid to stand up for what you believe in, what you know is right. Sometimes it means that you will have to leave a job.”

As I picked up speed on Suitland Parkway, I felt a black cloud lift. I was so happy that I had followed my own advice. I was thrilled to be beginning the rest of my life with no one to report to any longer.

The most asked question: “What are your plans?” My answer has become: “I’m going to turn off the alarm clock and learn how to be leisurely. That’s as far as I’ve gotten.”