Retire

2002
I am 56
Almost ready
In a few minutes
To retire as a planner
In transportation only one
Box to carry down to my car
I look around at my old PC hard
Drive noticing the handwritten
Card I’ve kept there over the
Decades “Every day in the
Corps is a holiday, every
Week is a vacation.” A
Note on my cubicle
Entrance says
“Presidio
Soledad”
And on
My PC
Is a
Green
Wind-up
Bug a gift.
I will miss these
Fine people but it is
Time to go and teach my
College classes daytime
Rather than nights. As I
Am about to leave the
Lady in the adjacent
Cubicle is in tears
So I stop to tell
Her I will call
From time
To time
To check
Up on how
Folks are doing
And to say hi to her.
I had no idea those with
Whom I had worked so long
Would miss me as emotions have
Always eluded me a surprise to
Others and myself how much
We become attached to
Those we work with
And I ponder how
Blind I am about
Feelings I can
Observe but
Not really
Know.
I am too
Rough not
To be polite
Trying to avoid
Stepping on toes.
Clumsy with how
Delicate a heart
Can be to loss
Separation
Moving
On.