Not quite strangers in the night

The more I thought about this article, the more stupid I thought it was. It sort of ties in with the piece the other day on common sense. Assuming that it is serious and well researched, I find it stupid, unrealistic and woolly academic thinking on several fronts.

1 How many people would want to work until they are 85? Even at my tender age, I can see myself slowing down and much less able to do the things I used to. I'll probably be a basket case by the time I reach 80. I wouldn't hire me at 65, never mind 85.
2 It's doubtful that Companies would want a work force of over 60 year olds. Younger is cheaper and more hours can be extracted.
3 Why talk of retirement when all you can reasonably expect is to work until you die?
4 Society needs to look after its older generation, not keep them out at work.
5 Society generally has to adapt and Mr Taljapurkar would better spend his time trying to establish more realistic solutions.

***

Tonight we were invited to our next door but one neighbours, the Lloyds, for dinner. We adore their children, Katie and Tom, who usually spend a lot of time with us when they are over. Anyway, we had a strange encounter on our way over to their house this evening. The back way to the Lloyds house takes us up a long, narrow, dark lane. I walked in front with the torch and about half way up the lane we could see a man, standing at the side of the lane, with his face to the wall. As we got nearer we could see that it was not a mugger but the village cantonnier, Thierry. Now Thierry is a nice person, but usually very pissed and with his broad local accent it is impossible to understand what he is saying. In 3 years I have never understood one word. Tonight was no exception. He muttered something and was using his phone to light up the hedge on the top of the wall. Because I had a torch, and despite the fact that I had no idea what I was doing, I helped him search. It took a few minutes, but he eventually found what he was looking for. It was a 5 litre box of wine that had been concealed in the shrubbery. He must have been really pissed off to be caught in the act but obviously either he or someone else had left the wine for him to pick up later. Anyway, he muttered his thanks and went wandering up the lane with his new found booty. He didn't even offer us a drink.