Ever been to Eighty? That alluring, perfectly serine and inviting Isle of Eighty?
I hear Eighty is a lovely laid-back escape. Great place to visit, but do we really want to live there?
Well, my good friend Bill won a trip there in October thanks to Dr. Murphy lowering his cholesterol and keeping his blood pressure under control. So there’s a good chance he might be seeing Eighty this year.
So why’s Bill so down in the dumps?
Shouldn’t going to Eighty be viewed as an achievement? A milestone? Not everyone makes it there, right? It’s a golf resort, but Bill doesn’t play golf. It’s where you go to relax, but Bill seldom relaxes. On Eighty you take it easy, unwind, drink wine.
So why doesn’t Bill find Eighty elating?
His sons think he should also go to a place called Retire, right next door to Eighty, but I can’t see my friend on permanent vacation there either.
He still has muscles, hair, energy, intellect.
No, I think Bill wants to stay actively working, creating and producing.
I don’t see Bill sinking into a lounge chair just yet, curling up with a good book, even one as readable as my latest: “Is there enough Brady in Trump to win the inSUPERable BOWL?” available on Amazon. Bill’s not the type to nod off in mid- afternoon. Not Bill! No way.
So I’ve been thinking about this far off place Eighty where my friend Bill is going, but just to visit. And I’ve come up with some things he can do there.
- If anybody comes at him with a birthday cake with enough candles on it to start a forest fire, he can pretend to doze off.
- If he forgets someone’s name, he can give them a big hug and say how wonderful it is to see them while he still has his eyesight.
- He can slow dance with women over 90 so he won’t get carried away.
- He can keep his flies zipped, teeth flossed, hair combed and shirt fronts stainless.
Well I guess that’s it. Time for a nap, Bill? Another game of pinochle?
Hell no. My friend’s going to work just like I do every day at TransMedia Group! For the time being he’ll stick that Isle of Eighty brochure in a drawer.
So out of Bill’s way. He’s not even close to retiring yet. Thankfully, just like me, he has business to do, ideas to conjure, concepts to develop. Go Bill! I’m with you man.
Forget permanently vacationing in Eighty. It’s just a number, not a retirement home. TM