WASHINGTON — Like any mayor, Vince Gray has faced some zingers, ranging from questions about school boundaries to his involvement in a so-called shadow campaign in the 2010 election.

One of the questions he battles these days is a softball, but one with no simple answer: What are you going to do after leaving office?

Gray will hand over the office keys Jan. 2 to Muriel Bowser, who defeated him in the Democratic primary in April and won the general election last month.

“I’ve spent virtually no time thinking about what is next, and [I’ll figure] that out when the time comes,” he says.

Gray, 72, is not one for kicking back or strolling along a beach. “It sounds odd, but work is almost a vacation to me,” he says. “I love going to work; I love being around people.”

Almost since he took office, an investigation has looked into his possible criminal involvement in shady campaign contributions. Nearly four years later, he has not been charged and maintains his innocence.

Gray believes the questions surrounding the investigation played a large role in his defeat in the primary.

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