A new decade has arrived.  I have been retired for 9 years.  It seems like yesterday.  I remember my boss, Plant and Service Operations Director, Phil Gatton, saying the most complimentary things about me…and my thinking that I would like to meet the person that he was talking about.  I had a sketch of a speech, prepared in my mind, to give…but…when Phil finished speaking, it dawned on me that my career was over.  For over 32 years I had lived Southern Illinois University @ Carbondale.  With my best efforts to stifle the waterworks…I could not help shedding a few tears at the imminent change in my life.  I had thought about the University  on my holidays and weekends and when I was sick.  I had been witness to the Campus at its best…and at its worst.  Retirement had seemed like a pipe-dream…and unattainable!  Then, like watching an approaching train…