People

By Guy D. Garcia

The fact that he harks back to both World Wars, the Depression and even Edwardian London is not so surprising. Alfred Burin was celebrating his 100th birthday, after all. What stirred up the media last week was that he still has a virtually full-time job, making him apparently the oldest working American. For the life of him, though, Burin could not understand all the fuss. Even when his cake at NBC's Today show caught fire, engulfing the centenarian in smoke, he was thinking of his job as chairman of the Globe Shipping Co. in Jersey City. "Such confusion," says Burin of his TV appearance. "I just wanted to get to work." In 1902 Burin started as a shipping clerk for the firm in Berlin, moved to London and then to its New York City branch, becoming a U.S. citizen in 1919. Still looking like a young man in his 70s, Burin reports that he smokes at least two cigars a day, has never been much for exercise and enjoys a glass of Scotch most evenings. His simple secret for longevity: "Start early. Work hard, and that's it." Burin is willing to make one concession to Father Time. "I've stopped working on Wednesdays," he concedes. "At my age I can't expect to live another 100 years."