I’m 82 years old and I drive a forklift. I will not retire and I will love my dangerous job.

This essay as told is based on a conversation with Bill Miller, 82, who works as real estate broker and part-time as forklift driver in North Carolina. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

I received my bachelor’s degree from Cornell and a master’s degree from Indiana State. I worked on a Ph.D. at NC State, even though I never graduated. All my studies were in biology and zoology.

I was employed by Penn State on a NASA grant for a few years and taught ninth grade biology for 10 years. In 1978, a friend asked me to join him in real estate and I decided to do it.

I left a paid teaching career and went into a strictly commission-based business. I started in upstate New York and moved to Asheville, North Carolina in 1983. It was emotionally stressful at first, but financially it was much better to get into real estate.

I still work in real estate at 82 years old.

I came here and started from scratch

My wife and I have been very fortunate and have done very well financially. I started with the firm in March 1985 as a residential broker and have worked there for over 40 years.

I didn’t get into commercial real estate. I primarily focus on residential real estate and land. We were playing detective. Someone would say they wanted a house with this, this and that, and we’d find half a dozen that fit their needs, and then we’d show them the house.

In today’s market, people are finding houses and coming to town saying they want to see this one and that one. They need us to guide them through the process, such as market information or a property analysis.

We stay very busy

My wife is 77 years old and she is also very active in the real estate sector within the same company. We were able to do everything we ever wanted to do within limited limits.

We are not rich at all, but we are comfortable in our old age and we lack nothing. We were able to raise four children, put them through college, become divers and underwater photographers, and travel the world.

A few people in the company are still working into their 80s. I’m the senior here, and when I’m in the office, people come to me for advice.

I am quite respected among the younger generations. My wife and I tend to hang out with people younger than us because they are busy and active like us. They are full of energy.

I have a side job working for a guy who has a business that needs forklift and backhoe drivers.

I can drive a backhoe, tractor, forklift and scissor jack. I started over three years ago. I work there between 15 and 20 hours a week, early in the morning, then I have the rest of the day free for real estate. I don’t need the money and I often receive benefits. I’m not as active in real estate as I used to be because I have too much fun driving.

Every day is different. Some days I load trucks with steel with a forklift, and other days I’m covered in grease doing manual labor.

The guy I work with is younger than me and he and I have been fishermen for many years. I also helped him clean up his seven-acre property. It evolved into a very good relationship, almost like a father-son.

My wife and I have a low maintenance condo and we own it all

We have no loans other than a mortgage, no credit card debt, and no car payments. We could live on what we have from Social Security and money in the bank, but none of us are ready to sit on a couch and become a vegetable.

A long time ago we had to borrow money. In 2008 we owned two homes and had to put them both on the market because we couldn’t afford to keep them both. We decided that whichever one was sold, we would live in the other one.

I am very active as a volunteer with United Way, Habitat for Humanity and Transformation Village. I’ve always felt that if I make a living in a community, I have to give back to that community.

I have four children, all married and college graduates.

Some of them are much better off than me. Three of the four live in the Asheville area and we see them regularly. My oldest son and I are competitive clay court sport shooters. I have six grandchildren.

My health is excellent. I’ve been a smoker for many years, and even though I haven’t smoked in 30 years, my cholesterol levels are high. I could probably watch my diet more.

I had a heart problem 20 years ago, so I take a beta blocker to control my heart rate, but it doesn’t affect my performance. I have never had internal surgery.

I really have no regrets

I didn’t finish two things: Eagle Scouts and my doctorate. I never went back to finish my thesis and, looking back, I probably should have. Other than that, I wouldn’t change anything.

I’m going to work until they drag me out of there with a black bag. I’ve had too many friends who would retreat to the house, sit in front of the television, vegetate, and die. As long as I’m physically able to get up, get dressed, and go to work, I’m going to keep it that way.