Alan from the mid west, Margaret from the East Coast, met, married and started a family in Ohio.

Alan was someone who lived by the rules, so it took ‘Madge’ to show Alan an advert for a job opportunity in California.

Alan wasn’t sure but applied anyway. He got the job and the two of them moved their lives 2,500 miles away.

They had children and grand children and all the while, Alan whilst moving jobs, played by the rules and kept a single career in Banking. The whole family all still live in California

Alan retired and continued into his retirement with the rule book at his side. He didn’t say if he ‘got the gold watch’.

And then he hit 70. Something stopped inside of him. Something started inside of him. The rule book was dispatched to the garbage can.

He is now 72. Their house is sold - as are most of the furnishings. The rest sits in storage. The two of them travel. Everywhere. Together. They just got back from Portugal. She would have stayed there. He needed to come back first. They still might move.

Life is changing around them faster than ever - but just as when they were in their twenties, it’s Madge who is ahead in the thinking. Alan just needs to catch up. I think he will.

"I said, hey babe, take a walk on the wild side."

Lou Reed

Thinking Allowed

This is a People First post that was originally on the People First domain. It has been moved here as part of my domain consolidation program. It’s a steady and slow WIP as I check each entry, so do please bear with me.