oLDIE gOLDIE sUNDAY

Tom stood there…puzzling.

He had never seen anything like this before.

He had to admit that his partners had warned him that underwriting a Project this risky would be unpredictable and impossible to forecast.

So he couldn’t very well complain to them. They would just shrug at him and give him “The Look” if he even attempted to make changes to this Project that he felt…you know…? Suited the partnership….

His main boss was completely unreasonable…a real ball-buster.

He reminded his boss that they had senior partners that were extremely interested in this venture. That they had invested years of patient, financial and moral support.

Their small firm could NOT drop the ball on this!

But, this? This new problem was a titty twister….

This is NOT what he had in mind when the Project was being thrust and shoved through the research, developmental, and implementation phases. Tom had expected a more immediate contribution to the bottom line from the Project, but since development and implementation it had become a money pit.

He thought of all the hours…days…weeks…months he had to wine and dine his partner and the investors.

They were not a drain on the partnership expense account that this Project was.

He never, ever expected this. How could he?

And now…it was broken.

The Project was faulty. It obviously had bugs that needed to be ironed out.

The budget was gonna be shattered. He knew it.

Tom stood there looking at the Project, his brows furrowed into a solid line….His nose itched…He flicked at it angrily

His eyes began to water….

Tom wiped away the tears and could see that the actual mechanics of the Project looked fine on the outside. At least it did to him.

He knew he wasn’t an expert…but…it looked okay.

….just

He had examined it thoroughly. He had even called in his partner…the investment group seniors…and other parties that had interests in the Project.

They all had advice and valuable input on the proper maintenance of the Project, but none contributed ANYTHING to this new problem.

The Project was leaking.

It was slinging grease.

It was making noises!

What in the hell went wrong?

Tom couldn’t dwell on that now.

He was the guy people came too.

He FIXED problems….made them go away…..

Tom sucked in his breath and tried to focus.

“Come on man, you got this” he whispered, popping his knuckles in that stretchy, self-assured way.

The Project was still leaking, and if it was possible….it was making more noise than earlier.

Tom had all the paperwork that was required to repair the problems.

The paperwork had come from the top with a terse command…”Just do it”

He bent down over the Project examining it carefully.

He could see where it was leaking.

He also found the crack where the grease was coming from and
he groaned out load.

There was something broken on the inside Dammit! That was the only way so much grease would be thrown out.

But he knew for a fact that the Project had been constructed above board.

Yeah…It was leaking…and it was still working, but lord what a racket!!

“That ain’t right” he thought.

This was his first…REAL…exposure to the problem he faced with this new Project. It was usually his partner and the investing senior group that handled the day to day operations.

Tom felt sick to his stomach.

So much pressure…so many expectations.

Not thinking, he absently ran his fingers over the fine lines of the Project.

He could feel it kicking against his hand.

He stopped…”What the…?” He looked at his fingers. They were covered in the thick grease and moisture that were leaking from the Project!

He grimaced…then made that gagging face.

Tom almost threw up in his mouth…”Jeez…” he coughed.

He looked around quickly, throwing the paperwork toward the leaks and cracked Project.

“Honey…where’s the baby wipes!?” He screamed.

The Project kicked and cooed.