Session: 123456789101112131415161718192021222324         Page 542543544545546547548549550551552553554555556557558559560561562563564565566567568 of 592

Why don't you describe a typical work day. We were just interrupted by Esther Cohen coming to report for half an hour on events at Bread and Roses. How many times a day are you on the phone?

I'm on the phone -- I live on the phone, either calling or getting calls. It's my way of keeping up and on top of things. There are many people I know who nobody else knows. I've reached a point where these people will respond to my calls. They know me, they respect me, and normally you wouldn't expect that those people would return calls.

Now, you're eighty-seven now?

No. I was eighty-five.

Eighty-five.

I'll be eighty-six in August. [Tape interruption]

Eighty-five. Now, a lot of people at eighty-five would consider it time to if not withdraw completely, to slow down. To the extent that that's possible, you're going full steam ahead.

Yes.

Most people don't do that.

Well, you see, it's still my desire to continue what I'm doing. Sometimes I wonder whether I'm overdoing it, but it doesn't hurt me physically to do it as long as I combine certain exercises, walking, and my diet has to be very, very careful. Weather like this, I can't go out, even by car. It's too difficult for me.

Snow on the ground.

Snow on the ground. But I have come to the union for certain events. I've been able to go out for dinner with people at certain times, and I'm still here.

Now, since 1982, when you formally retired and when presumably demands on your time were somewhat diminished, from the union, were there other activities that you filled in with, other things that were not related to 1199 and Bread and Roses?

Well, the only things that I do, I read the paper. I read as much as I can.

Books, novels?