This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Dianne Michels, 81, who works at Trader Joe’s in the Chicago area while developing a consulting and coaching business. She works to pay down her $70,000 in debt and fund the business, which she hopes will live on beyond her. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Part of me never wants anybody to know how old I am because I don’t want them to treat me like I’m an old person. The way people in retirement are treated is like they’re no longer relevant.
I started my career at a telephone company in Fargo when I was 19. I went to college but dropped out because I didn’t want to be a nurse or a teacher, and it seemed like those were the only…