Is the President of the United States of America

 really fit to lead the country?

It's a question being asked by some people I know. These are people who had no time at all for President Trump. They do not want to see him back in office - ever. 

But they are Americans who are genuinely concerned as to whether President Biden is well enough. They are worried about his state of health, especially about the fact that at times he appears confused, forgetful and unable to articulate his thoughts on a topic. He is apparently even more dependent than most people in his position on off camera screens.

I don't know the man. I have never met him. It would be a very strange thing if I ever did but I have noticed the same sort of thing and I share their concern. 

Mr Biden is 78. He is well past the age when most people have retired. There are now calls for him to resign and they may not be as foolish as they sound. The problem of course is that it would mean a very inexperienced person would take over immediately. Whether she could handle the role or not is something that is simply unknown. My own thoughts are that she would have to be prepared to listen to people much more experienced than she is in matters such as foreign policy, trade and defence. Would she do it?

It all raises the question in my mind about when people should retire. The Senior Cat's father worked well into his eighties. His business was winding down. He knew that. He would not take on any new customers but he still did work for some he had known for more than fifty years. Neither of his sons went into the business so he did not have to hand it on. He did pass some of his highly specialised skills on to other people but that was all. 

The Senior Cat retired far earlier - and then went on to a second but much more relaxed career making apparatus for his fellow magicians. It was something he wanted to do but he only took on the projects he was genuinely interested in.

I am still working but over the past two years I have tried to cut back on the amount I do. I no longer want to do eighty hour weeks or "crack an all nighter" as my colleagues would tell me. I have been training other people to take over. Where I was working largely alone there are now a growing number of people who can be called on to help. Now that they have some experience we actually get things done more rapidly - and some of them are going to be better, much better, than I ever was  because they have other skills as well. 

I have other things I want to do with my life so this does not make me unhappy about retirement. I have hobbies I want to pursue and I would still like to make another trip back to my other "home" - the United Kingdom even if I have to be realistic about how difficult it will be and if I have to acknowledge that I probably won't see much of the rest of the world. (Get vaccinated please - so I can at least do this much!) 

But does Mr Biden have hobbies? Why would someone his age want to be President if they had other interests? I suppose "power" means so much more to some people than it does to others. It worries me.