The Even Greater Tokyo Region

My Golden Years

Last week, I became a pensioner. Yes, I got my retirement money. This doesn't (necessarily) mean that I age at an accelerated rate, but I got half of the money I paid into my Japanese pension fund. This really helps out my cause as a student, giving me some all-important breathing room. It's good to have a cushion- literally, and illiterately.

It also means that I may not have to work as much as I have been lately. However, with my school workload so low, it was too hard to say "no" to more catering work. I mean, I get paid and fed. That's a pretty good deal.

It is the irony of the Golden Years, that I have ended up working more than ever. I went back to Keukenhof, hoping to be the ice-cream boy again. No such luck this time. I was sentenced to a large dining room area, where for seven hours-long, I was constantly setting tables, serving old people coffee, and clearing the tables again. It was like a simulation of the circle of life. It was unendless, for seven whole hours, after which time, it ended-literally and illiterately.

I was working with some other people-one of whom was a guy who had just begun work in the catering. He showed up late, and proceeded to drop an entire tray of glasses. Then he dropped a pile of plates. He was slow, didn't know what to do, couldn't multi-task, and looked lost the entire time.

4 months ago, this was me. I mean, of course I was never as clumsy as this guy. And even when I do drop something, I usually catch it before it hits the floor. Seriously, I am like spiderman with super-quick reflexes. But it made me realise that I have actually become very good at this work. I was in constant motion, and still was able to have fun and joke around with all the customers and co-workers. (Technically, it is called being "Gazelle-ish")

Also I know I am good because the floor manager kept asking me when I was coming back. I know that bragging about being good at this, is like showing off your trophies for "Best Costume At The Annual Star Trek Convention", but still, until the end of last year, I haven't ever worked. In New Zealand I have done a few weeks of picking fruit, and in Japan, a mannequin could have done my job. It is a strange feeling to be good at what I do.

I just regret that I am not paying into a pension plan right now. I'm sure that whereever I am, I could use the extra cash in a few year's time.