Mixed blessings #1: New Years resolution---I am going to retire.

I retired from Fasteners, Inc. 7 years ago every year since then I have gotten a phone call, or a request
when I went in to pick up some parts or tools asking me to come back to work for a week or two because
they had scheduled too many vacations at once, someone was sick, or last year because an employee
had a bad heart valve and had to have open heart surgery. It was easy to call me back in, they did not
have to train me, just add me to the payroll again and sign me up on the company computer. After a
few years, the main office just did not bother to take me off the computer, just take me off the payroll.
This year I thought I had finally made it, then December 17th the phone rang. The manager asked me
to come back to work for a few weeks, each time before I had received a small raise, so I quickly agreed. Then came the clincher, a bigger company, our old competitor had bought Fasteners out and I
would have to apply as a new hire knowing that when they combined the two company stores in a
short while I would be laid off. Even knowing they were going to lay me off, they made me run
through the entire resume, application process. First time I have submitted a 5 line resume. Phone
interviews and the whole bit. Just finished filling out the on line pre job final paperwork. The manager
wanted to cut it short and have me start the 17th, but the new outfit insisted it had to be done
their way, so I start a new job January 4th, temporary, part time, full time until I get laid off. The
weird part is that I am still authorized and logging into the new companies store computer. Maybe
I can qualify for retraining when the lay me off this time.

My New Years resolution- I am going to retire——sometime.

-- As ever, Gus-the 83 yr young apprentice carpenter