Transcript of
Retirement
I was a bit worried before I retired. I really was.
I didn't know what I'd do with myself. That's what I didn't like.
But the wife brought me down here
and she was the one who got me into doing things.
Yes!
While you're bowling here you've got no worries up here
and you're laughing.
Laughing is good for you, isn't it?
We come to bowling to come and meet people,
give ourselves exercise,
exercises with your arms and your legs mainly, and also the tongue.
But we do enjoy it and come bowling to keep fit.
I had a knee replacement, I've had it done twice, and I've had cancer
and the bowling has helped me get over it.
Yes!
We haven't got any tips. We aim for the centre ball and hope for the best.
The professionals, they know how to turn a ball, how to spin it.
We just sling it down, hope for the best.
I was lucky today, I had a good score.
No, come on. He is very competitive.
- I am competitive. I don't like losing. - I'm the opposite way.
If I win it's fantastic but if I lose it doesn't make any difference.
I think we might have a jacket to fit you. Let's have a look.
I was 62 when I retired
and decided that this was an opportunity to start a few new interests
and also to carry on with my theatrical interest.
From quite an early age I have been keen to show off in that way.
Here's my favourite.
I was a primary school teacher.
If you like your job, which I did,
you don't want desperately to retire,
but I was quite glad when the time came.
- ? We met at nine - ? We met at eight
- ? I was on time - ? No, you were late
I don't perform as much now as I used to
and for the last ten or eleven years
I've been looking after the quite extensive wardrobe.
It's quite fun when someone says, "Have you got a pink something-or-other?"
You say, "Yes, I have just that."
There's a certain satisfaction in being able to find things when they're needed.
Before a show I enjoy the action that's going on
and the lighting people are doing their thing
and the props table is prepared
and everybody's all agog to give of their best.
? That dazzling April moon...
I think people could join a theatre society
or an operatic society at any age.
I think it's the companionship
of doing with other people things that you like doing
and a shared interest in it.
So we have a great deal of fun as well.
I retired quite early.
I retired long before many people do.
I don't think there was a big void
because I think I had enough ideas in advance
that when I could see one running out
I had enough time to think about the next one.
I felt that I could put something back
and so I decided to do mentoring
because I thought I could still contribute.
My abilities were still there, I had a lot of experience
and so mentoring seemed to be a good thing for me.
When I first met Louise I wasn't quite sure what I could do for her.
She didn't have a clue what she really wanted to do
and we talked around that a fair bit.
I don't think I changed her mind. That's not my job.
I just wanted to make her think about what she could be doing.
He makes me think about different stuff as well.
He always talks about stuff that's happening in the news.
Before I wouldn't really pay attention to that but now I do.
I wasn't passing judgment, I wasn't giving her advice,
I was just getting her to talk.
I don't know what effect it has.
The teacher says her confidence has improved.
No one that I knew had been to university.
They couldn't help me and tell me what I need to write.
He helped me do my personal statement and that got me into four universities.
He's helped me with things that I didn't understand in my courses.
Without it I don't think I'd have been as comfortable with my exams and stuff.
It gives me a sense of satisfaction.
In fact you can do a lot, you don't have to be paid for it,
so there's many more things you can do.
You've got the time and you may as well do something useful.
I don't think it's good for anybody just to switch off.
