Day 7: Giving Back
The CFO and I played golf this day with a elderly gentleman and his wife from southwest Virginia. Seems that they know Wayne Henderson, the luthier and guitar player. I mentioned the recent sale of the Henderson guitar for $31,000 at Christie's and, to my surprise, they said that Wayne still delivers the USPS mail in Rugby and surrounding areas despite his fame and wealth. "Why", I wondered. "Because," the man's wife said, "his Momma taught him to go to work everyday."
Over drinks following golf, we learned that the man who is a ear, nose and throat physician still practices medicine every day at age 77. "Why?" I wondered. He was in no obvious need of additional wealth. Seems that a goodly portion of his practice is now pro bono. So many of the jobs in his town and surrounding areas have gone to foreign countries chasing cheap labor and, as he put it, "Somebody has got to help the people left behind. Their medical needs didn't go away with the jobs."
Even when these folks become elgible for coverage under Social Security, he's still giving back, it further seems, as it costs him an average of $10 every time a Medicare patient walks through the door.
After meeting this couple, I can only feel quilty of being retired.
Over drinks following golf, we learned that the man who is a ear, nose and throat physician still practices medicine every day at age 77. "Why?" I wondered. He was in no obvious need of additional wealth. Seems that a goodly portion of his practice is now pro bono. So many of the jobs in his town and surrounding areas have gone to foreign countries chasing cheap labor and, as he put it, "Somebody has got to help the people left behind. Their medical needs didn't go away with the jobs."
Even when these folks become elgible for coverage under Social Security, he's still giving back, it further seems, as it costs him an average of $10 every time a Medicare patient walks through the door.
After meeting this couple, I can only feel quilty of being retired.
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