Wednesday, July 28, 2004

There's a long thin winding stairway without any banister...

Over the last few weeks numbers have been getting huge at the daily breakfasts at work. In response I have taken a tip from Nigerian political history and stepped up my Buhari style 'War on Indiscipline'. Tidiness is stricly enforced and everything is rationed. Gone is the buffet style breakfast we used to offer. In its place, clients have to que at the kitchen door to recieve their plates of food and portion of milk for their tea. Coffee no longer exists and fruit was limited to half a banana each today. Though bread and pastries are abundant, margarine and jam are limited to one pot and one tub respectively per day. It's tough but I'm on a budget.

Earlier this week some visitors asked if our clients have much education. The following conversation occurred this morning at breakfast:

- Mr Joe, have you read anything by Charles Dickens?
- Yes, why?
- Are you familiar with the story of "Oliver Twist"
- Yes (realising where this is leading...)
- You see, these days I am getting hungrier and hungrier but I am afraid of the reaction if I express my need. You know what happened in the novel. I don't want to risk the becoming of such a situation.
- Of course you don't. What type of bread do you want?
- That one here is fine. Thank you very much.

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