So I got an assignment at work to do a story on how more seniors are taking on retail and service jobs in their retirement for various reasons, and my job was to find out why.
Honestly, whenever I see one working in a big box store or some senior is cleaning up spilled orange soda at a fast-food joint, I feel so bad for them, assuming they must be so hard done by financially that they have to take on jobs most of us leave after age 16.
Like seeing cute animals caged in a zoo, taken from their families, and forced to make life more enjoyable for the masses, I feel bad for people’s gramas and grampas when they’re wearing a uniform walking up and down neon-lighted aisles.
Some surveys and interviews and research later, I found that it wasn’t so bad, that while many do work because they need money, some old people just get bored being retired and need something easy to do. I mean, I can see that. My grama volunteers a lot and swims more than most Olympic swimmers, (I’m sure!) because otherwise she would be bored. If someone else’s grama wants to don a blue apron with lots of flare (Office reference!) and direct customers to aisle 23, then so be it, you know, their choice.
This morning I went to our local Wal-Mart, where there are always a great many seniors greeting me as I enter the store, stocking shelves, hanging gigantic oversized beige panties in the underwear section, you know, around.
I had a list of questions that politely asked why they chose to work past retirement, what they used to do, how many grand kids they had, that sort of thing.
The Wal-Mart gods that be told me I needed head office approval, so I couldn’t do my interviews. I took that to mean, “Feel free to pretend to shop and casually strike up conversations about the aging workforce with our older employees on the floor.” So I did.
I found a couple of people, and found a way to see if they were over 60 without asking or assuming they were. I got my story, went to work, typed it up and filed it.
It is Friday and I am looking forward to the weekend. That is when I get to spend schedule-free time with husband and friends, and of course new puppy. That is fun!
I think I’m built for wearing a matching track suit, living in Florida and getting my white hair done at the salon. You will most certainly not see me shying away from the golden years, I can tell you that. Midday golf? Bring it on.

Labels: journalism