Getting Permission

"Did He?"*

*One day my young daughter and I were listening
to an old tune by Simon and Garfunkel.

When the song finished, she asked me, "Well, did he?"

"Did he what?"

"Did Parsley save Rosemary in time?" she asked.

***************************************************

"Getting Permission"*

*A zoning board had just been set up in a new
community. A homeowner went to the office
to request permission to build a small tool-shed
in his backyard.

"Do you have a plan?" asked the director.

"Oh, yes," said the owner, who showed him a
map of his neighborhood, the dimension of his
yard, and a sketch of the shed.

"That looks fine," said the director. He pulled out
a piece of paper, wrote a few words on it,
Xeroxed it, and said, "Here's your permission."

A month later, a neighbor in exactly the same
situation also wanted permission for a shed in
her yard. She went to the director, got as far
as a secretary, and made her request.

"Thank you, Mrs. Smith," said the secretary, taking
the documents. "Telephone me in two weeks and
I'll let you know what the director's decision is, or
what further steps are necessary."

"But," groaned Mrs. Smith, "a month ago my
neighbor got permission right away."

"Oh, yes," said the secretary, "but that was before
we finally got organized."
Received on Fri Jan 21 10:22:39 2011