Lim Kok Seng, 77, retired from clerical work at a shipping company more than a decade ago. Most mornings, he sits near the window with coffee and a printed newspaper.
Why not read everything on your phone?
I read some things on my phone. The newspaper is easier on my eyes, and when I finish a page, I know I finished it. On a phone there is always another thing to open.
What section do you read first?
Local news, then sports. I read business news last. I worked around invoices and numbers long enough.
Do you keep old papers?
No. My wife would not allow that. We recycle them. Sometimes I cut out a recipe for her and she says, “If you want this, you cook it.” So I have stopped cutting out recipes.
What was your job like?
Mostly paperwork. Checking forms, calling people when numbers did not match, filing documents. Not exciting, but it paid the bills. I had good colleagues.
What is retirement like?
Slower. Some days too slow. I go for a walk after lunch. Twice a week I meet two old coworkers for coffee. We still complain about the company even though none of us works there.
Lim folded the newspaper into a neat rectangle before setting it aside. “Habits are useful,” he said. “They tell the day where to begin.”
By R. Tan
