TRADITION

For sunday scribblings 140 - Traditon

TRADITION OF TRAVESTY

Morning routine; tyre check, front and back
Hand on saddle, testing brakes and bell
Ray mounts bike and cycles off to work
Nodding to the milkman, paperboy

Donkey jacket, football scarf and cap
Padded gloves, to combat winter cold
Town Hall clock-tower bells announce the time
‘A quarter past the hour’ sings their chime

Watchman rolls another cigarette
Strikes a match, sucks smoke to lungs, exhales
Stands, salutes, in greeting to his friend
Ray dismounts, returns salute, and smiles

‘As you were; stand easy’ orders Ray
Servicemen’s traditions never die
Active role in Cyprus, both – respect
To friendship formed in Turkish-Greek divide

Clock-on seven-twenty, on the dot
Never varies; card could testify
Ever-present; never missed a day
In twenty four long years of tradesman’s toil

In six short months, that Gold Watch will be his
Counting days and blessings till that time
First things first, though; breakfast – time to eat
A less than tasty, vending-machine treat

Microwave to heat it; cup of tea
Most important meal of every day
Smoke a cigarette, read tabloid news
Eight o’clock and time to start the shift

Yellow clipboard; ‘Things To Do Today’
(Or tasks to delegate to someone else)
Appearing busy; time-perfected art
Semi-skilled, but fully versed in ‘Skive’

Keep that clipboard close, with pen in hand
Pre-empt problems, prepare proactive plan
Impress the supervisor; management
Build a reputation based on bluff

Talk technical to draughtsmen, engineers
Ask questions; make suggestions; take your time
Don’t try to remember; write it down
Justifies a tea-break; cigarette

Call time-out; a meeting to discuss
Productivity improvement scheme
Type-out minutes; copy; distribute
Cigarette in mouth tea-cup in hand

Afternoon; stock-levels running low
Visit stores with requisition note
Shipping order; one more cigarette
Another cup of tea, to pass the time

Four o’clock; day’s done, and not much else
Ray knows that, but bosses unaware
Trusty yellow clipboard; testament
Flatters to deceive; boosts weekly wage

Shirking-class tradition reaps reward
‘Ray Mc Cann – Employee of the Month’
Overcome with gratitude, he speaks
‘Job’s a good’n…that’ll do for me’