The topic of most importance at my recent high school class annual reunion had to do with taking a trip. Class members who live in the Blount County vicinity like to go to Branson, Mo., and places like that together for a few days.

Next year’s travels centered on Myrtle Beach, S.C., Pigeon Forge or a three-night cruise out of Mobile.

Regina and I haven’t been on one of the trips and haven’t committed to one for next year. I did raise my hand, however, to the question of preferring a cruise to Cozumel over going to the South Carolina coast.

It’s not that we don’t want to go. We don’t have the time off from work to do that and the other things on our agenda.

Did you ever try to explain not having time off to a group of retirees? It’s not easy. Their solution is to retire.

“But I don’t want to retire,” I find myself saying over and over. “This is what I do. I don’t golf, I don’t fish much, I don’t like to cut grass, and The University of Alabama doesn’t play football year-round.”

I like to play with my grandchildren, but not all of the time.

I’d rather work.

My sisters, Mary and Pat, are retired schoolteachers. Both retired early, I think, because they no longer liked their jobs. I am sorry for people who counted off the days and years until they retired, and I wonder if they really do enjoy not working as much as they say.

Some do, I am sure, but I suspect many are bored and need a challenge.

Mike Wallace of CBS was 89 in May. He apparently had rather work. So had 60 Minutes’ Andy Rooney, who is 88.

President Reagan was older than I am when he became president for two terms. And Decatur’s John Caddell practiced law until he died last year at age 95.

Why quit work when you are having fun?

Tom Wright is executive editor.

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