Your man says I better get the finger out. I tried telling him that the last few weeks have been complicated. "Excuses, excuses" he says back to me.

Things change. Situations and circumstances are constantly in flux.

"Here we go again" says your man. "But it's true", I told him.

He sits down beside me and calls for two more of the same. Mine's a tonic water and lime, "I'll have something stronger" says he. He's interested now.

"Circumstances?" he asks. The bar man lands a pint of Guinness in front of him and he rubs the condensation off the cold glass with his thumb.
"What circumstances would that be?" he continues.

"well" says I. "You know the way sometimes you throw yourself into a project, and everyone in it has great ideas, everyone says the future is bright and the road will rise with us?

"No" says he, "can't say I have, the only project I threw meself into was PROJECT 1, but I got meself threw out of it just as quick" - his eyes light up as the Guinness has finally settled and he slurries a fine mouth full.

Project 1 was a pub off Clanbrassil Street back in the day, apparently.

"I don't remember that place" says I. "anyway, I threw meself into a different kind of project, one that promised resources a plenty, it was a grand project with a fair amount of potential"

"yeh I get where you're goin' alright. Dya want a bag of crisps?". Your man is hungry.

"Go on sure, I may as well, salt and vinegar" says I.

"So what happened?" He elbows me to continue.

"Nothing" I replied.

"Nothing?" says he. Your man is easily confused.

"indeed" i nodded. "Nothing."

"Ah jaysis" says he. "Have you been sneakin' shorts into that tonic water?" He second glances the bar man.

"I love salt and vinegar crisps" says I. "There's not a taste on the earth that equals it"

"will ye get on with it" says he, his mouth stuffed with cheese and onion.

"Are you still workin' with the window cleaners?" I asked.

"sure am" says he, just finished Carnlough this mornin', why dya think i'm in here now?"

"right, well imagine you decided to leave your window cleaning business for another. The other business promised you a much better way of doing things, they offered you certificates of approval and identity badges. New buckets and new ladders and new rags and more business, how would you feel?"

"Well" says he. "I could do with a few more rags, that's for sure, I'd suss it out for meself anyways"

"I'm sure you would, sure you're a man after me own heart, you'd suss out any project that promises you more than what you've got, wouldn't you?" I asked with interest.

"defo would yeh, i'd be mad keen I reckon" - He's half way through his pint now and he's well and truly settled for the day.

"Yeh course you would" I agreed. "You'd obviously get stuck in and help the project succeed"

"ah yeh, I would, I'd use all me local resources to get it off the ground, especially if it offered me a few new windows"

"you mean avenues?"

"well I do them as well, but I prefer cul de sacs, at least you have a starting point and finishing point with them"

I shakes my head with a smirk.

"So" says I continuing. "imagine that you've thrown your lot into the new window cleaning business, but nothing happens"

"ye mean, no new rags and stuff?"

"yeh no new rags, no new ladders no new avenues"

"ye mean windows?"

"Them too!" I quips back

"Well I'd be a tad confused alright" - he sits upright on the stool and places his fists on his hips. "Cos ye know, when I threw me lot in, I give it everything. I'd be profiling the business, telling everyone about it, supplying people to manufacture logo's and websites, jaysis I'd even offer me own house to meet up for business meetings"

"I've no doubt ye would" says I. keeping an eye on his dwindling Guinness.

"two more!" I shouts at the bar keep. He gives me a nod.

"Is there many window cleaning business out there like that?" I asks.

"There'd be a few alright. Most pretend to offer you everything you need, pffff never happens" he shakes his head.

"What would be the defining moment that tells you, you've made a mistake?" I asks, with genuine interest.

"Well, there'd have to be a few I reckon"

"go on" says I.

"Well if all your work went without a simple thanks at christmas time, that would make me think. If nothing that was promised came about, that would also make me think. The icing on the cake would be if the new company decided it was going to use your own ladders, buckets and rags to do it's business instead of buying it's own"

"well that's a bit rich isn't it" says I. Thinking he's exaggerating a bit.

"It can happen I'm tellin' ye. While the polit bureau keeps you distracted with red tape, the workers are up using your ladders. When ye go to look for one yourself, they're not around."

"Sure that's not on"

"Better believe it!" says he. He's animated now. Good job that second Guinness arrives.

"Well" says I. "I'll let you go"

"are you not staying on for a few, shakey will be down later"

"No I won't bother" says I, "I've plenty to be doing"

"right you are so, don't let those projects get you down"

"I won't don't worry" I says as I pat him on the shoulder.

"Their loss" - In more ways than one, I think to myself.

"Listen" he catches me by the arm before I set off.

"Will ye keep an ear to the ground for a bit more work for me, maybe ask Margaret Daly up on Viking Place if she wants her windows done"

"I will" says I. "Not a bother, but it'll cost you" I winks at him and leaves.

"Not you as well!" he laughs.

"Good luck to ye!"





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