Tuesday 26 April 2016

Going Out In Style

Father Ted famously uses the occasion of his Golden Cleric award to make an acceptance speech that settles a few old scores.  "And now, we move on to liars ..."   Yesterday I attended the retirement celebrations of an outstanding and highly-esteemed lawyer who practised in my neck of the woods for 30 years.  Though extremely effective, yer man is the eiptome of 'mild mannered' and we looked forward to his address in the justified anticipation of some wise and witty words.  We got all that - and more.

A bit of background.  In the bad old days before competition in the energy industries (and by Heaven, they were bad) one of the great nationalised industries used a particular law firm for all its major commercial dealings.  The senior partner in said firm therefore effectively wielded the power of his client's monopoly - and many there were who felt he did so to baleful effect.  Across the industry, all of us on 'the other side of the table' had cause to mutter under our breaths.  But hey, monopoly is monopoly, you just have to grin and get on with it.

Anyhow, our golden guy was once a junior lawyer in this very firm.  As people do, he was paying tribute to various folks he'd learned from over the years, and when his account reached that period of his career we were wondering what characteristically diplomatic turn of phrase he might deploy to describe the great ogre under whose lash we had all suffered.  He certainly picked his words carefully - "treacherous old bastard!", to be exact.

It was a great party.

Any other good retirement speech stories out there?

ND

9 comments:

CityUnslicker said...

I have no concept of retirement, why would you ever do it apart from health grounds.

Never understood it, very bizarre. You made me realise too I have never been to a retirement do of any kind - I must be took young old boy!

Nick Drew said...

Too right, and yet there were all these final-salary types there last night, took a package in their 50s & say they'll never do a hand's turn again!

Scrobs. said...

Slightly off-topic Nick, but when Ray Gunter resigned from Wislon's government in 1972, he famously said that 'He was going back to the folk from whence he came'.

Private Eye had an immortal spoof on their cover picture, with Wislon saying "Folk off"!

Electro-Kevin said...

"Of ALL the companies I have worked for this is one of them. Thank you."

John Miller said...

I was once articled (that dates me) to a partner who famously never attended the office. Each of the four Christmas parties during my tenure, he would peer at me with nagging doubt and say "Mills, isn't it?".

He was never invited to qualifying drinks, except on one occasion. The brave soul who qualified took 6 months off before joining PW as was but came back for the drinks. Our partner insisted on being addressed by his double barrelled surname, but during a short impromptu speech our man famously spoke; " I'd just like to thank Les for all he's taught me over the years. Thanks for nothing, mate..."

James Higham said...

Too long ago.

Anonymous said...

When you get old enough, the fire goes out and you just can't muster the enthusiasm to do anything much, especially take crap from anyone any more.

DJK said...

CU: You may be lucky enough to enjoy your work so much you do not wish to retire. This gentleman speaks for many who hold a different view:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/fray_bentos/16825750789/in/faves-30029716@N04/

Jan said...

"When you get old enough, the fire goes out and you just can't muster the enthusiasm to do anything much, especially take crap from anyone any more".

Agree 100%

The work was always OK but the people.....