In the Eastern Cape
province of South Africa, where I live, I usually dodge cows on the way to
work. Cows are also in the suburbs, grazing on street corners, meandering
across soccer fields.
Last week I met a retiree
who said she had moved to a job in the university administration because her
"udders had dried up". Puzzled by this statement but not taken aback
by the cow metaphor, I asked what she meant and she said, "As an academic,
I felt like I was strapped to a milking machine and [gesturing with her hands]
that I was being sucked dry. I didn't want that anymore, so I joined
management." Amused by this, another academic piped up, "Now that
you're retired, one could say that you've been put out to pasture!"
