Dear Folks:

My clock is ticking; pau hana time is near.

I've taken the company buyout and will be a retiree this month. Yes, I can't quite believe it, either.

I was the new kid when I joined The Honolulu Advertiser full-time in 1964; as I leave, I'm the senior — 44 1/2 years here — a ranking that just snuck up on me.

Trust me, I leave with mixed feelings.

I will miss the daily grind — really — and the people I've met and written about over four decades. But in this recession, there's mounting uncertainty and many challenges are facing newspapers. Perhaps my departure will eliminate some of the stress that has contributed to my high cholesterol levels.

Thus, I leave with both sadness and gladness. Sad to say aloha to colleagues and readers and interviewees; glad to begin a new chapter of my life.

In recent weeks, I've received a flurry of e-mails, phone calls and notes, from friends, fans, readers I don't even know.

They ask:

Why are you leaving?

It's time. It's called retirement.

Is someone filling your slot?

No; there is a hiring freeze, but some staff shuffling will cover some of the bases. Change is good, as the president-elect has said.

Will you write a book about Hawai'i show business?

Well, there's no biz like it, as the song goes, but a book has never been on my radar. However, I've never had the time. If I do one, I might focus first on the craft side of my life.

What memories are you taking with you?

The most significant element of my reporting career has been about the journey of discovery, of encountering a someone from here who might eventually become a somebody, then witness the achievement in concert, in theater, in films, on recordings. Think folks like Loretta Ables Sayre, Jason Tam, Jason Scott Lee, Tia Carrere; or if you go back in time, Bette Midler, Don Ho, Robin Luke.

You've met many celebrities — any lasting flashbacks?

Before what would become "Star Wars" mania, I interviewed Harrison Ford, who was a carpenter-turned-actor; he was a reluctant star who, of course, became a megastar after playing Han Solo and the anchor for the "Star Wars" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark" franchises. ... Mark Hamill, who was Luke Skywalker, tried to sell me the shirt off his back for $5. ... Woody Allen sent me a personally written, sweet thank-you note after doing an "Annie Hall" interview. ... I drove David Copperfield and his girlfriend to dinner one night here, and he loves teriyaki steak. ... I once was talking to a trio called Dino, Desi and Billy (kids of Dean Martin, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz and their friend, Billy Hinsche; think Jonas Brothers of an earlier time) at an autograph session, and a crush of rioting fans forced us to safer quarters in a back room. They thought it was fun but it could have been perilous. ... Wayne Newton once invited me to his Las Vegas ranch, but I was too bashful to accept.

Might radio or TV be in your future?

I've been strictly a print person, though as a youth, I was part of a teen cast doing radio and TV. One thing I've learned over time: Never say never.

So what are you going to do?

Write, travel, relax. You know, freelance, explore places I've not yet visited, and chill. When and where to be determined.