My best friend of my youth changed a lot when he retired. He lived with me for years at the factory, working without end, he never saw the light of day, dragged the whole family on his back, tried to arrange for his children. And then suddenly he got divorced, sold his father’s house, which was used as a summer house, and rushed abroad. He began to actively maintain social networks, often updating with new geolocated photos. He traveled around Europe, went to America, and, most recently, posted photos from Turkey.
I wondered if he really had enough money from selling his house to cover all these trips. I asked him by the way, when we spoke to him via video conference, and he said, of course, he didn’t have enough, but his children help him and send money so that he could continue to enjoy his old age. He is not particularly fastidious, looking for lodging through volunteers or staying in cheap hostels, somewhere and can spend the night on the beach, but in general, he does not plan to go home.
I would like to go somewhere like that, too. Let’s not on a long trip, but for a couple of weeks. I’ve never been abroad. Only saw other people’s photos. My kids were luckier, they’d been to some places on last-minute trips. However, when I came with such a request myself, asking how much it would cost and whether I could go alone, my daughter laughed.
– Daddy, come on, what kind of trip? – She thought my joke was hilarious. – And who will take the kids to school? They can’t do it themselves yet. And how can you, so old, go somewhere? What if you get sick there? You don’t know the language, nothing, so don’t make it up.
She told my son-in-law my idea too, so that they could make fun of me together. It’s not funny to me. I want to go somewhere. I can also sell my apartment – the kids have their own place next door. And then I’ll go wherever I want, since no one wants to help me. My daughter and son-in-law will laugh when they call to the apartment above asking to take my grandchildren from somewhere and other people will open the door for them!
