I was sitting in the sunroom, sipping a cup of Earl Grey, enjoying the first morning of my retirement without having to rush off to work. Sunlight streamed through the sheer curtains, settling on my teacup and making the amber liquid glow. At sixty‑two, after a thirty‑eight‑year career as a teacher here in the United States, I thought I could finally take a breath.
Suddenly, a greasy dish rag flew through the air and landed in my lap, staining my favorite beige cardigan.
