Funny what you find in old exercise books...

"And so..." he said, smugly for he was a man full of brass and warm wind, happy to stand in the spotlight.
"And so..." he said. louder this time as he had noticed my attention had drifted to the window.
"AND SO!!" he cried, louder than the first two times.

I looked at him, trying to make my eyes impervious. He'd forced my attention, and I had looked at him but I tried to make my eyes impervious, non-communicative cold concrete marbles glazed slick, slippery that you could not fix a stare of admonishment on.

After all he was only a school-teacher, a policeman, the prime minister, the president of some football club erupting like a volcano while you ride your bicycle on his field. He was none of these and all of these bundled into a small man who knew best, full of brass and warm wind who waited for me to listen to his view on rubbish and litter and personal responsibility, on larrikins and layabouts and slow sure paths to anarchy and who was he to say to me, on only his authority, if I couldn't take my rubbish home to put it in the bags...

Happy New Year!

I know, I know, it's nowhere near December but I'm staying in tonight.  It's not Matariki, it's not even the chinese new year, not an equinox, a solstice and the lunar perigee was a fortnight ago. 

But tonight the bars will (probably) be full. Grey suited men and women will have gathered in the hearts of our cities to nurse affordable cocktails and celebrate the passing of another year. Tomorrow is April first - the start of a new (financial) year - the accountants new year!

Yes tonight is (probably) the time when all true accountants will be out spending the last of the company allowance for deductible entertainment.  Later, (probably) there will be a bit of biffo over the relative merits of payments versus invoice based GST calculation, and after the collective box checking at midnight a few will (probably) linger on maudlin over the sad fact that nobody appreciates depreciation anymore.

In the morning, as they all stumble in late, on every desk will (probably) be a brand new, shrink-wrapped set of stationery...

Oh the joy in their darling hearts!

This is a festival few of us are aware of. If you see an accountant tomorrow, be sure to wish them a happy new year!