It's all been a fascinating read.
When I left, I left ... that was it, albeit after only 30 years. Time to move on, and have a new/different life.
I remember the old/retired propping up the bar at Uxbridge, especially at Sunday lunchtime. Didn't really want to be one of those, totally out of touch with 'today' and just droning on about "WIW..." - essentially what PN said a couple of posts up-thread. It's 'their' world now, not mine any more.