And what a day it was. Once they let me in the security gate (that's another story) we had an Italian lunch with about 50 coworkers in John's shop. Afterwards, too many to count, but several hundred others arrived from all over Boeing Field for the cake and more good wishes. I heard over and over how much his work expertise (and advice on all subjects, if you know John) will be missed.
How phenomenal these days to have a 41 year career at one company without a single lay-off, but even more so, working in the same area with some of the same people for decades. We needed a cart to carry all the parting gifts out to the car. There were tears and many hugs from his lady friends, and I noticed, even some of the men. Or perhaps those were tears of retirement jealousy!
So, it's the end of one era and the beginning of a new. Life must somehow go on at Boeing without him. We threw the old lunch box away last night; the alarm clock is next. Let the good times roll.
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