Month: January 2019

Anointing a successor –
should the incumbent advocate, or abstain,
act as expert witness or rubberstamp?
Sense of humour – SOH yet to be text ubiquitous –
the boss’s priority
SOH : pixie dust antidote
to budgets, truculence, morale cul-de-sac
churlish or self accusing to quizz hierarchy.
Useful, yes, but
feeding 200, 3X daily – 24/7 …..
the quotidian as important as the quip.

A dead heat going into the last interview
polished and faultless performances seem destined for photo finish
and much discussion,
until the question –
what would you expect to be paid.
Two are coy and diplomatic,
vague amorphous doodles, unfrightening to horses,
or accountants.
Between brackets of toothpaste smile and stand-up comic laugh
number three wrist flicks “ lots.”
The boss beamed. She got the job.

He was a well-known consumer advocate
renowned for his integrity, principles
and lack of legalese –
able to give an un-practised, unequivocal answer
to even the most contentious of issues
was a regular on TV, radio and in print.

On his last day he was interviewed, for the last time
reflected on a quarter century of being the watchdog
and
frequently the guard dog.

Stories,
there were so many.
but he thought the best.
The best example of the power of the consumer –
to fight back, to change the unchangeable.

It was reserved parking – monitored –
stern signs warned of stern consequences.
The tow truck driver was impervious to her pleas,
of heat, of urgency, of lack of alternative –
“ sorry lady” – them is the rules.
Right, you can pick it up from the yard at ….”

Quick as a snake striking
she opened the car door and shoved three children in
the tow truck drove off
the kids wailed and cried, banging on the windows
screaming to be released, and for their mother –
the world watching –
after about 500 m, the tow driver stopped,
lowered the car to the ground
growling,
“ lady take your car and just go.”

Staff meals :
restaurant quality, low prices
gratitude would have been expected,
like hell.
Never enough
always not first choice
well, the patients have priority – screw them.

Payment supposed to,
but difficult to extract.
Dodges, there were so many
the honesty box that wasn’t –
wallets left at home
shortage of funds.
It got to the point pique became irrelevant
like a radio not properly tuned, for so long
crackle is no longer heard.
Still, I listened for anything original, never expecting to
until a large man running to fat
came in one day and said he must owe quite a bit for meals
and
would I take a cheque.
Surprise was surprised
and turned to banter which asked if he had any ID
“ I’ve got a tattoo …I’ll show you later.”