General Discussion

Nikia

(11,411 posts)

15. I worked fast food with an older woman who didn't have to work

Sun Dec 2, 2012, 02:27 PM

Dec 2012

She was in her 70's. Her husband had recently retired from a job making 6 figures in a low cost of living area. She retired from teaching several years before. She told me that working there was getting too much for her, but she was still discussing it with her therapist. Her time at the restaurant was the only time that anyone at the restaurant said thank you or appreciated her. I agree that volunteering may have been a better choice for her.
On the otherhand, we had a 70 year temp doing somewhat heavy labor where I used to work because his pension fund, from the company he retired from, suddenly disappeared.
Really, there are both types of working seniors.

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Sad times at Mickey D's [View all] Atman Dec 2012 OP

Next lifetime, she should choose to be born in a non-budding third world country. nt onehandle Dec 2012 #1

Perhaps that person wanted to work? I am not saying it is, but I can tell you that I have seen still_one Dec 2012 #2

I believe that femrap Dec 2012 #22

Actually I didn't say I believed that person wanted to work. I suggested "perhaps" still_one Dec 2012 #30

At McDonald's? Get real. n/t bitchkitty Dec 2012 #23

Assuming that she has to do that is not really the same as knowing that she has to. Bluenorthwest Dec 2012 #3

Of course I know that. Atman Dec 2012 #4

more to the point onethatcares Dec 2012 #6

Exactly. magical thyme Dec 2012 #8

No kidding... tex-wyo-dem Dec 2012 #54

I think it is a fair assumption that no senior would work at Mcdonald's unless they had to. . robinlynne Dec 2012 #12

I worked fast food with an older woman who didn't have to work Nikia Dec 2012 #15

That is why it should be a choice. JDPriestly Dec 2012 #16

A guy in his 80's with arthritis once installed carpeting in my house. He came to the door with part RKP5637 Dec 2012 #29

I have a co-worker who is 83... Odin2005 Dec 2012 #37

My dad kept working 'till he was about 83. I think he only stopped because his memory was RKP5637 Dec 2012 #40

Kinda like farmers. Thav Dec 2012 #50

Yeah, much the same. It seems to be that and also maybe recognition, probably unconsciously, RKP5637 Dec 2012 #51

Emphatic K&R for this little vignette. We will probably never know coalition_unwilling Dec 2012 #5

I stop at McUrinals often while travelling ... Scuba Dec 2012 #7

LOL, so do I !!! Sometimes I'll pick up just a simple burger while there. n/t RKP5637 Dec 2012 #41

Once in a while I'll get a plain burger ... Scuba Dec 2012 #43

LOL RKP5637 Dec 2012 #45

Last time I stopped at McDonald's I had similar experiences liberal N proud Dec 2012 #9

I really don't think it's about McDonalds. dogman Dec 2012 #10

I never would have thought... 99Forever Dec 2012 #14

In USA, Inc., all that counts is $$$$$ feeding the cornered wealth. We need a society that RKP5637 Dec 2012 #42

When I moved to Florida in 1987 Sekhmets Daughter Dec 2012 #11

Some do it just to get out of the house jberryhill Dec 2012 #13

That seems incredibly selfish to me. Sekhmets Daughter Dec 2012 #17

More than likely a falsehood, IMO. tabasco Dec 2012 #25

Not so much in this area jberryhill Dec 2012 #32

I figure that the story is a mirror image of what my future will look like SoapBox Dec 2012 #18

Same here. At one time this country was about people, no, it was not perfect, but RKP5637 Dec 2012 #44

Somewhat more to the point of this story, SheilaT Dec 2012 #19

I am also saddened by the reality many seniors face. Curmudgeoness Dec 2012 #20

I'm 33 years old. I'm really worried by the time I turn 65 retirement will not be possible. Initech Dec 2012 #35

As long as many in this country keep making the choice to be STUPID and vote for the same RKP5637 Dec 2012 #46

Well you know the textbook definition of insanity... Initech Dec 2012 #55

It is weird, really weird. Often I think we must look like damn fools to the RKP5637 Dec 2012 #56

Sometimes I really wonder what the rest of the world thinks of us. Initech Dec 2012 #62

As long as we're jumping to conclusions . . . cosmicamerican Dec 2012 #21

... leftstreet Dec 2012 #24

I simply femrap Dec 2012 #26

People get old and some just don't get it, like they're not going to get that RKP5637 Dec 2012 #47

I had my first encounter femrap Dec 2012 #58

And in 'la la land America' it is glossed over in "ain't we the most wonderful country in RKP5637 Dec 2012 #59

I bought a gun femrap Dec 2012 #60

This country has changed drastically in my lifetime. I've worked in both RKP5637 Dec 2012 #61

I hear ya, fem. I have a relative in a nursing home. Honeycombe8 Dec 2012 #63

Same here... femrap Dec 2012 #64

That's seriously insulting to our seniors. It's stereotypical, degrading, insulting, & disrespectful Honeycombe8 Dec 2012 #33

Don't worry, all old folks are faced with arrogant youngsters. Curmudgeoness Dec 2012 #36

that's how I took it too Skittles Dec 2012 #57

I know some old folks who LOVE working at McDonalds. Evoman Dec 2012 #27

Atman, why not go femrap Dec 2012 #28

AGE has nothing to do with it Iggy Dec 2012 #31

Some seniors work to stay connected, feel needed, get some spending money.... Honeycombe8 Dec 2012 #34

The new America. sarcasmo Dec 2012 #38

I worked at McDonalds in high school . . . Utopian Leftist Dec 2012 #39

You're blaming the country for necessitating her working there? As many earlier posts said, virgogal Dec 2012 #52

The ridiculous thing is that these types of jobs have always been with us, BUT SoCalDem Dec 2012 #48

K&R The desperation to deny how fucked we are in this thread is just sad. Egalitarian Thug Dec 2012 #49

Your comment wins this thread. Systematic Chaos Dec 2012 #53