Ken R. died last week. His family immigrated from Ireland when he was 10. He worked in a small department prior to coming to SJFD. He was 70. That may sound old to someone 30 but to us in our 60s it seems real close. Ken was a quiet guy, not one to engage in horseplay or trash-talk around the kitchen table: a very dependable fireman at fires and emergencies and that is how we are judged. A wise chief once told me the ideal is to be retired for longer than you work. That means I have to make it to 80. I can't see myself as an 80-year-old but then again I never saw myself making it to 66.

Doug S. is retiring this year. He was a captain when I came on in 1973. He was on a number of B/C lists and would have made a great chief of any rank. Never got excited or raised his voice, steady guy. He works one of busiest engines downtown and I do not know how in the hell he does it. He could have any station with his seniority but the love of the job keeps him running 3 or 4 time a night with a crew young enough to be his grandchildren. His b--s do not clank when he walks, they chime.

When you are in your 30s getting up for runs at night is a bummer but the next day you are functional. When you hit the 40s the next day naps get longer but no biggie. By your 50s the next days are a disaster and you can be young at heart, but you can't fool your body.

I live a few blocks from our local firehouse and sometimes at night I hear them go out. As much as I miss the job, rolling over and going back to sleep is sweet.