Retirement Day.  For most of us, this is a once in a lifetime event.  The one day most of us inside spend our shifts dreaming about.  When we don’t have to walk past those grills.  When we don’t have to spend 8 hours trying not to notice the smell of urine.  Maybe we can even let our guard down just a little with those around us and enjoy a little less stress in our lives.

Well, October 24 was that day.  I am now a retiree from the Federal Bureau of Prisons.  After 21 years with the BOP and 8 years with the State of Missouri I walked out the front door for the last time.  I could have still gone a few more years, but as I have heard many retiree say before, “you know when it is time.”