busker

Peter Principle

Well, there I go goofing again.

I'd thought that Laurence J. Peter's Principle was the one about tasks expanding to fit the time allotted . It is of course the one about successful members of a hierarchical organization being eventually promoted to their highest level of competence.

I'm talking about Task Time meeting Procrastination.

Awake this morning at my usual apneic 5am, utter panic at having left things too late to be out in time for the bulldozers to move at sparrow fart on March 1.

Typed out more announcements for pasting up in all eight condo entrances and set about piling the junk high for dumping.

Called all the utlities and folks one lets know on such occasions - gosh they're efficient down the phone.

Mind you, it could  be my laborious spelling out a Greek forwarding address that makes them sit up. One's usually trading one address for another, hence still in their clutches, so the threat of beating a path thru unmarked olive groves to retrieve a crippling $60 concentrates the mind.

My posters offered assorted goodies at $0.00 O.N.O and barely had I reached the last condo than the cell phone starting burping.

The first couple I showed round appeared interested in my burly glasses and delicate crystal.

"So how much you asking?"

"I dunno - $1 each? 50¢? $10 for the lot? $5.00?"

Nervous looks.

"Well, usually with these sales ...."

"Zero?"

"Well ..."

I sweep up a fistful of wine, sherry and port glasses. "If we're quibbling over zero, they couldn't be much cop."

I drop them into the black sack. Tinkle of breaking glass. Follow them with the heavy beakers. More glass sounds. Grab a handful of cutlery and hold them up - for the dumpster?

Too late: Into the waggah.

Subsequent visitors seemed quicker off the mark - grabbed the coffee maker and a lamp for a paltry $5 each.

Hesitation over the CDs - into the bin.

Pondering over the electronic stapler - bin.

Goodness, this makes a man decisive.