079 Chapter 6 Conclusion I was quite looking forward to retirement because I was a workaholic. And as I got older, I grew tireder. And my health was getting poorer. And so at 63 I was just happy to stop, which meant reading more and collecting books and sleeping. I’ve always had an interest in politics and economics. And it’s interesting to watch it all play out over time, to watch the patterns that change over time ... reflection is probably the greatest joy really. The worst thing is the deteriorating body because most of the struggles of old age have to do with my decreasing capacity to physically do much. My time is mostly taken up with washing and ironing and scrubbing and cleaning, one has to shop and one has to cook and all that. Maintaining myself has pretty much taken up my time. I’m not reading the way I used to and I’m not going to as many galleries. And so there’s a certain resignation about it. I guess the surprising thing is speed at which time passes as you get older and frail, and sleep more. Suddenly I’m 13 years older than when I retired. I imagined I’d be an old man at 76. And I’m surprised I am. Now I collect doctors, the way I used to collect books. Maybe if I moved to a nursing home, I’d have more time to read. —Ray, 76