flanerie.org

I was doing a butt-load of budgeting work with my boss last week, and at one point he was trying to put together a schedule, but the going was painfully slow. He isn't quite the 8th Dan Blackbelt at Excel that I am.

So I took control of the schedule and sent him off to make me a coffee - Santos and Java, milk, no sugar. He came back with a black coffee.

"The good news is I made you a coffee, the bad news is there is no milk"

"Paul just went to the convenience store for his lunch. Maybe he will get some milk"

"I'll call him"

He calls Paul's mobile, but no answer. In the darkest corners of Iraq there is a mobile signal at all times, in Gloucestershire the only way to get a signal is to wrap yourself in tin-foil. So, not much of a surprise.

"Wait, I have a plan"

He then calls directory inquiries and gets the number of the convenience store and calls the store.

"Er, hi. I just want to check one of your customers. Is there a guy in there, kinda middle aged, brown hair, a little grey maybe, tallish, glasses. Er, looks a bit geeky."

"Great. Can you see if he is buying milk"

"Fantastic, that's all I needed to know. Click"