Old Lady Down

“Old lady down”

I meet with a committee everyday.

We talk things through, chew fat.

Several items run up a flagpole later, (about 4:15) we are ready..

To refer the aforementioned items to a sub committee

for final approval subject to overall analysis from logistics and legal.

I encountered an old lady today.

She had slipped and fell in a busy street.

As I stooped to her aid a myriad of H&S, risk assessment and staffing issues hit me.

Withdrawing my arm I saw a trickle of blood seep from her mouth

Bewildered and incomprehensive, was the wild stare in her eyes.

“It’s no good getting agitated” I said “this situation calls for clarity and an action plan”

Passers passed by and the world turned its head,

But I was project leader, objective led

invested too much time in this situation to merit me walking away without a result

It came to me,

like bolt from the blue

I knew what to do

Taking the pen from my pocket, my thumb pounced

clicking the ink into action

“Have you got anything to write on?” I asked her.

Between the coughs and tears she managed to point to her handbag,

 tissues issued from the crevice, the whole thing smelt old

But then, there! Glinting like ice, clean and crisp and even. Paper

Sitting down beside the wounded

I had to write fast.

She was pale now, the coughing had slowed like her breath.

Starting with the words “old lady down” in the centre I began to

Construct a bubble diagram exploring the various options open to me

My boss would be proud….. If only I had a ruler

I could now step back, view the scene from above,

play God and decide the best possible avenue of attack.

I could take in the variables and count the cost implications

The results were breathtaking….. Literally.

My plan had no contingency for death…..

I turned the sheet,

“old lady dead” was quicker to formulate

especially as now a few people had gathered to offer what I felt was

‘valuable feedback approved by a wider party of concern’.

“What the ***** are you doing!!!?” was the only negative comment received,

But one out of what was now fifty, is perhaps to be expected?

I would include it all the same to reflect the impartial nature of my research!

The plan formulated, I considered it prudent to call for a second opinion

What’s not checked  s’not done!

Borrowing a mobile (mine is for work only!)

I rang Richard. He told me he would get back to me ASAP he needed to run it by

his area manager.

10 later we were all singing from the same hymnbook, Green for GO.

The light to signify “CREMATION IN PROGRESS” was actually pale blue,

It came on a week later,  just after the coffin had passed beyond the crimson velour.

On the bright side we had all just been singing the same hymn

And as a bonus it was to the tune of a lone piper.

I felt it prudent to attend the ceremony for PR reasons

John and ‘JCB’  couldn’t get out of a finance meeting but they sent a post-it.