American Labor Day 15 years ago

Officially retired from work on August 1, 2002, three months before I turned 58, after 23 years as dock worker.  It's an anniversary I easily overlook.  A month later,  on labor day, September 2, 2002, Consolidated Freightways declared bankruptcy.   

That previous friday I had cashed over $4,000 of vacation and severance pay.  If I would have waited to cash the checks, they would have been worthless the following week.

I had written the words Sawasde and Guten Tag on the back of the door. The trailer returned to our terminal from California, one week later with the Thai script added

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