Chapter 24 -  EL METRO (The Measuring Tape)

"El Metro" .... This translates firstly to its proper Spanish name which is "la cinta metrica", but colloquially it is known as "un metro" “a metre”. In English? A measuring tape. Now that we have the title clear I must admit that this is not an original thought of mine.
It is my friend’s Juan Antonio, well known in Gib through his company "Lineacristal" in La Linea, which specialises in shop fronts, glass curtains, aluminium works, etc. Over the years and with the various shops I have had both in Gibraltar and La Linea and he has worked in them, we have become more than business associates in fact we are friends. And as friends do when they're not talking business, they talk about their lives.
I was telling him that many years ago I had planned to retire at the age of 45. Later that became 50, then 55, then 60, then 65... And here I am, my past 70 and still working, although at a different pace.

"Tu te vas a reir" (You may laugh...) he replied, "I was convinced I would retire at 45. I love painting and I play the guitar and wanted to spend my time with my family leisurely painting and with a flamenco group that I have, strumming guitar ... con una copa de buen vino by my side!" (with a goblet of good wine next to me)

I have seen some of his paintings and they are, well better than average. I have also heard him on his guitar, he is very, very good at that too!

"What happened to you? What happened to your dream?"

" Lo mismo que a ti!" (The same as happened to you!) he laughed. "because we like our work, we get more and more involved in it and when you look around, we have spent most of our lives working instead of enjoying it as we should."

"True ... but with me, Juan Antonio, it is also a matter of enjoying the work I do so much."

"Y yo!" (Me too) he laughed.

"They say that if you enjoy the work you do, you will never have to work a day in your life!" I quoted to him.

He thought about this a few minutes. Then putting down his sketchbook and pen, he handed me his measuring tape.

"Coje el metro, David" (Hold the measuring tape).

I did.

"How long do you think you will live?" he asked.

"That is one hell of a question, Man!"

"No, no .... think about it a minute .... How long did your Dad live to?"

"86" I replied "He died of lung cancer"

"Do you smoke?"

"No"

"Are you in relatively good health?"

"Yeeees... relatively so" I replied hopefully, wondering where this was going to.

"So .... would you say that it is reasonable to assume that you should at least live till 86?"

"Hombre, I would hope so, and perhaps even more … but no one ever knows for certain...." I replied.

"Venga ....coge y saca 86 centimetros en el metro..." (Go on, bring out 86 centimetres from the measuring tape)

I did so.

"Clamp it there…at 86 cm"

I did.

"Now you can see you're expected lifespan measured in centimetres, right?"

"Yes....."

"Now here is this clothes peg....."

I took it.

"Place it now on your present age number."

I did that too .....

"Now take a look at the length that you have already lived through....”

I did...

"And now ...... go on... look how much life you have left!"

I looked .... this simple explanation was very graphic, shockingly so!

Juan Antonio took the measuring tape from my hands, clipped the clothes peg to my hat and said:

"Are you going to spend those few centimetres of Life you have left …working?

“What about your dreams?”

“What about your family?..... “

“Think about it!"

I did then.... and still do now....

I am still thinking about it 

Perhaps that is why I am writing it out here ... so we can ALL think about it.
Better yet, try it for yourselves …..

As he left, Juan Antonio turned around and laughed ...

"Amigo David ... filosofia ... barata, pero filosofia!"

("My friend David ... this is philosophy... a cheap version, but philosophy nonetheless!")