Retirement （引退）

A Japanese railway company has a special train which has long been used to inspect faults on its high-speed lines. It has been very popular among railway enthusiasts over the years. It has a yellow body and has been nicknamed Doctor Yellow. I have seen it only once when I was a high school student. It came when I happened to look out through a window in class. It was running on a high-speed line. At first, I was surprised by the yellow body. I never expected that the high-speed train has the body with a different colour than white. So, when I found it with my eyes, I thought that I had something wrong with my eyes. In particular, I was afraid that my eyes might suffer from a colour weakness. But I had nothing wrong with my eyes. I was advised by my colleague that the train I had seen was an inspection train and called Doctor Yellow. I was relieved of the advice and felt I was lucky to have seen it.
It has been about 50 years since I saw the special train, and the train has retired in January. It seems to have worked for a very long time. At least for half a century, or perhaps much longer. Since it was on my eyes half a century ago, I have never seen it live. But I would like to thank the train for its hard work.
Around the same time, I turned 65 years old and will leave the company on 20th of February. It means the train and I have ended the life as a member of the company. In other words, we have much more free time to enjoy. I look forward to seeing what my life will be.

　JR東海には、新幹線の線路の故障を検査する特別車両があります。鉄道ファンの間では、長年、人気を博してきました。黄色い車体で、ドクターイエローという愛称で呼ばれています。ボクは、この車両を高校生の時に、一度だけ見たことがあります。授業中、たまたま窓から外を見たら、新幹線の線路を走っていたのです。最初は黄色い車体に驚きました。まさか、新幹線に白以外の車体があるとは思ってもいませんでした。目た瞬間は、自分の目を疑いました。特に、色弱になったではと心配しました。でも、目は悪くありませんでした。同級生に、ボクが見た車両は、検査用のもので、ドクターイエローと呼ばれていると教えてもらいました。これを聞いて安心すると同時に、この車両を見れてラッキーと思いました。
　その特別車両をボクが見てから約50年になりますが、この車両は1月に引退しました。ずいぶん長い間、働いてくれました。少なくとも半世紀、いや、もっと長いかもしれません。半世紀前に目にして以来、自分の目で見ることはありませんでしたが、長年の献身に感謝です。
　同じ頃、ボクも65歳になり、2月20日で会社を退職します。これで、車両とボクは、会社員生活が終えることになります。おかげで、楽しむ自由な時間が増えます。どんな暮らしになるのか楽しみです。