Retirement

This was it then. Now it was all over. No more nine to five, not that he ever worked that for the department of course. No more long hours in the office, just a few short minutes left before he retired. He'd given his life to the department, working every hour asked of him and more. Now all of that had been reduced to a "good luck" card, a carriage clock and a briefing folder for his replacement. Strange islands on a suddenly barren desk. Soon his superior would be along to walk him to the door, take his I.D. badge and the folder.

The folder was the worst bit. How to summarise countless hours spent working, overly long days and too far into the night, to meet some ministerial deadline for something needed yesterday or last week if not earlier.

2 dys DEFRA: ref: 17789a pri: 3 RDC
1440 mnth DERA: ref: 1928c pri: X FRU
2 hrs HRH: ref: 2334r pri: 1 approv
1 mnth HMin: ref: 2455m pri: 2 crdt

And so forth, a collection of codes, references and numbers. It didn't tell you anything about the attention to detail involved, tracking down scarce resources. It all had to balance in the end after all, they had to work within the zero sum rule.

Still it had been a good career, though not quite what he'd expected when they'd first approached him all those years ago. He'd just been an eager young clerk then working in an undistinguished accounting division of DEFRA. His manager had recommended him for a promotion and the department had noticed. He'd never even heard of them, but by the time he'd been offered the transfer they'd already vetted his entire life, interviewed colleagues and his few friends. His boss had advised him against the move, tried to keep him in DEFRA, but a job near Whitehall was too good to turn down.

And it had been a good career, all those extra hours he'd put in had paid off, all the birthdays sacrificed and holidays not taken had been worth it. They offered him early retirement a while back, but he'd wanted to see the ring road pilot project finish. Then after that there'd been waiting lists.

The introduction of waiting lists had been his triumph, they had propelled him to the heights of third under secretary. Such a simple idea, measurable, controllable and above all invasive. There wasn't a single department that couldn't use them and account for them, of course that they'd couldn't be outsourced was something of a plus. Since then, even after they'd computerised the department, it was the flow of was the flow of waiting lists they'd managed. Carefully keeping it all in balance, making sure there were no anomalies, no leaks or build ups. It was a huge resource to keep track of.

Almost time. He was glad to be leaving really. He was just a servant, he knew that but there was no artistry left any more no dedication to the task at hand. Someone had obviously messed up a briefing, as their present lords and masters clearly didn't understand, hadn't grasped the fundamentals of the situation. What with their targets, focus groups and pledges to bring waiting lists down. Down! Reduced waiting lists were the last thing they needed, and bringing so much attention to them that was a mistake. Someone might notice, put two and two together. No unless they backed off no good would come of it. Yet flags had been nailed to masts, so he was glad to be out of it. Getting out before the trouble really started.

It was time. He stood up as he superior entered, and handed over the briefing folder. The moment stretched between them wasted and unaccounted for. His superior opened the door and waited. He picked up the card and clock from his desk leaving it deserted and followed his superior down the corridor. Behind them his name plate was already being removed from the door. Soon the only trace of his time in the department would be a few signatures on old paper work. They stopped when they reached the lobby, and he handed his badge over to his superior. They'd not had these slim bits of plastic when he'd joined. They'd all known each other back then, been able to spend the time of day but the department had grown since then. Of course they also allowed for a closer accounting of everyones time, which was progress of sorts. He came back to himself, his superior was talking

"I'm sorry sir?"
"What will you do now then? Anything planned?"
"I thought a cruise. Get away from it all. You know"
"Of course. Well goodbye."

They shook hands,
"Goodbye"
No need for 'sir' now, he'd retired. His time in the department was finished.

He left the doors department of temporal affairs closing behind him, as he headed for home and the prospect of his retirement.

Within the department his superior, looked at the folder upon his desk and wrote upon it, then changing his mind crossed it out and wrote anew before placing in the out try to be taken to the new man to deal with.

14401439 mnth M Laurence: ref: 1928c pri: X approv

They'd find the other month some where else.