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Retirement Reversal
by John Robinson |
Dad drove me to the state office building.
That’s not unusual. Over the course of our lives, my father served as my personal chauffeur on countless occasions. He’s probably driven me half a million miles. Church. Scouts. Vacations through 47 states. For years, I carpooled with him to his job at the Jefferson Building. Then I’d hike the rest of the way to school. He was the driver on my first date. He drove me to take my driver’s test, and then to get my driver’s license.
But this day was different.
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He drove me to the MOSERS office so I could retire. Technically, I could have driven myself. But Dad and I had just had lunch. And he volunteered to deliver me into the hands of retirement, since he had the day off from work.
That’s right. He took the day off.
At 91, B.W. Robinson is the oldest active state worker in Missouri. At least I haven’t  found one older, past or present. He left state employment once already, for about 15 minutes, I think. Back in 1983, he retired from his post as an assistant commissioner of education. He planned to travel the world as a board member for Lions International. But a plane crash in Africa changed his life’s course. He survived, but decided he didn’t want to travel as much.
At the same time, a platoon of state senators cornered him with a proposal: Come be a senate doorkeeper, and while you’re at it, you can help educate freshman Senators about education in Missouri. That was 24 years ago. He’s been opening senate doors - and minds - ever since.
Unlike Dad, I took an early retirement, at least from state government. When MOSERS first notified me that I was eligible to retire, I did some quick calculations like all expectant retirees do. Then I filled out my paperwork and drove to Jefferson City from my Boone County home.
“Where’s the MOSERS office?” I asked Dad. And he took me there.
The MOSERS staff greeted us cheerfully. Pleasant. Engaging. But they weren’t sure which of us needed assistance. That’s understandable. I’m a dozen years away from normal retirement age. And Dad has been drawing retirement for decades...just not from MOSERS. Not yet. While he moonlights as a doorman, he gets a monthly check from Missouri teacher retirement.
He looks forward to retiring from the state sometime within the next dozen years. Truthfully, there are days when he thinks he might just quit. But he knows he’d miss the activity around the Senate. And the Senate staff would miss him. So he continues to work and wonder what it’s like to retire.
No problem, Dad. I’ll let you know.
John Robinson, former director of tourism, comes out of retirement regularly to write a column for Missouri Life Magazine.
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