Retirement has its rewards. You can make medical appointments for midmorning, when the traffic is light. You don’t have to meet project deadlines (due yesterday, please!) And, you can try to help the working men and women out there. Once I was a working stiff.

McDonald’s early morning can be a frantic place. Customers line up inside the store to get coffee and a breakfast sandwich to go. No time to waste. I’m in no hurry, so I ask these worker bees if they would like to go ahead of me. You’d think they had just won the lottery!

“Oh, no, you go first,” they’ll say politely. “I insist,” I reply, smiling, “I’m happily retired and want you to get to work on time!” I step out of the way. They thank me profusely before trying to beat the rush.

I might even be the topic of the stranger’s dinner conversation. My ears would be burning. In any case, I’m glad that I’m out of the rat race – and back in the human race.

Wanna go ahead of me?

© Ron Cooper