One last offer? It’s been nine years since I retired (for the second and last time). But, does it never stop? And by that I mean that slight tingling of the brain whenever a small, tiny even, possibility of returning to work drops across my doorstep or pops into my email box as in this case.
The first offer / request, call it what you will, was offered to me a few weeks ago. It was an offer to work for a company who provide therapy to clients via the internet, for a price of course. I ignored it as I have done this kind of invitation several times before.
About a week later there was a follow-up invitation. Was I intrigued or even tempted? This was one of those, ‘get thee behind me Satan’ jobs although, in my limited experience, behind me (where I couldn’t see him or her) would be about the last place I would want him or her. But I digress.
My point is, I replied to the second email. I said briefly, I’m 74 and I doubt whether I’m even still registered as a psychologist. That I thought should dissuade them from further attempts to recruit my good self.
Did it? No, it did not because about two weeks after that I received an email from the same company but a different person (this one called Wayne) inviting me for lunch so they could explain any details and answer any questions I might have. The company, as far as I can see, is based in California. Hmm, I thought a free trip to California and a free lunch now that might be worth having.
No such thing (as a free lunch) of course as we are often told. The bought lunch came in the form of a $25 luncheon voucher or more accurately food gift card. But then it rather spoilt the effect by ‘thanking me for the work that I do’ which, unless they are referring to my wine-making or blog-writing rather suggests they are not entirely or realistically in touch with yours truly. And yet…
And yet all of this is not quite the point. And what is the point you ask? Well it is that I was perhaps not curious or definitely not attracted too this semi proposition, but rather that the world of work still held a shallow interest for me. How could this possibly be?
I remember a radio programme that I listened to shortly after I had retired (in the days when I used to listen to such things). It was about a walking group of retired people. One of the interviewees, when asked, said he thought it had taken him three years to settle down to retirement. I remember thinking, three years that’s a bloody long time. And now here I am, not entirely not settled down but with that small twinge of, could it be envy or maybe fascination for those still ‘earning an honest crust’, as they say. How can that possibly make any kind of sense to an intelligent person like what I am?
I can of course trot out all the usual suspects – lack of identity, lowered self-esteem, anxiety, low confidence, feeling like an outsider – all states (of mind) I have written about on more than one occasion in these blogs and quite recently.
But still, and yes I do know they’re probably asking every man, woman and their dog, but still again the fact, if that is what it is, remains that I’m slightly seduced by the prospect of being an employed person again – after nine years and yes, I know what you’re thinking, something along the lines of – what an insecure person you must be. Either that or you’re just happy to have a blog topic to write about. You decide.
One last offer summary
I received another message yesterday, same guy as the first time, reminding me he had ‘reached out to me’, love that phrase, a couple of weeks ago and he was ‘checking one last time’ and could I, quote, give him the thumbs up or thumbs down as to whether I was interested or not. So you would conclude from that that this was the final boarding call and the flight really was departing. So you might say it’s now or never. I am, as I’ve already pointed out, 74, so you would think this is a never-to-be-repeated offer, to mix my metaphors. But then I’ve had that thought before and here I still am apparently or allegedly hankering after a job. What a strange person I am.
PS. I replied, that’s a no. So that’s a door closed (never used so many metaphors in one retirement blog) I guess. Hmm.