"When I retire I'm going to spend my evenings by the fireplace going through those boxes. There are things in there that ought to be burned"

This quote by Richard M. Nixon recommends that he has a lot of memories and items that he has kept in boxes over the years. When he retires, he plans to make the effort to go through these boxes and sort through them. He implies that there are some items that he want to get rid of, and he prepares to burn them in the fireplace. This might be a symbolic gesture of letting go of the past and starting a new chapter in his life. It might likewise be a method of purging himself of any unfavorable memories or items that he no longer wants to keep. Whatever the factor, it is clear that Nixon is anticipating his retirement and the time he will need to reflect on his life and the things he has actually kept.