Today is my first day without a full time job since leaving leaving school at 16. After nearly 37 as a civil servant I have dratfed my last briefing paper, given my last non-committal answer to a straightforward question and drunk my last gallon of tea.
I left with a financial package and ample supplies of stolen stationery. At the age of 53 I'm luck enough to be able to fully retire if I wish. But I don’t think I will. I will look for work I enjoy, part time work and/or short term contracts.
I "quiet quit' my job during the fist COVID lockdown. It was a scary time and it quickly became apparent that "key worker" is the modern day equivalent of "cannon fodder".
But I can't complain. I've done varied roles and most of them have been enjoyable. I haven't done badly for a lad from a Black Country Council Estate who left school at 16.
The next chapter begins........