John watched from his front...
Illustration
John watched from his front porch as the City Public Works truck turned onto his block. The truck was loaded with trees and had a crew of three men. John wondered what this encounter might tell him about how the city was spending his money. He took his responsibility as a taxpayer and citizen seriously. He had read in the paper about the beautification program. The city was planting trees along streets that had sidewalk easements.
John could see one man driving. The driver pulled up a few feet and stopped. One of the other men got out, took a shovel from the tool bin, and dug a hole. That man got back on the truck as another man got off and grabbed his own shovel from the tool bin and filled in the hole. The driver moved the truck a few feet and the first man with a shovel began digging another hole and the second man filled in the hole. Soon a rhythm began to develop. By the time the second man finished, the first man had moved on to another place and begun another hole, and the second man moved up to fill in the newly dug hole. And the driver moved the truck with the trees about 10 feet each time. They were working quickly and efficiently. John was impressed.
When they had dug and filled about 15 holes, they came even with John's house, where he was sitting on the porch. John said, "Great day for outdoor work, eh?" The driver looked over and said, "Yes, and we're ahead of schedule today." John said, "You do seem to be making good time. But you've done fifteen holes and I haven't seen you plant a single tree. You still have all the trees on your truck. What gives?" The driver said, "Oh, that. The fellow who puts the trees in the holes called in sick today."
John could see one man driving. The driver pulled up a few feet and stopped. One of the other men got out, took a shovel from the tool bin, and dug a hole. That man got back on the truck as another man got off and grabbed his own shovel from the tool bin and filled in the hole. The driver moved the truck a few feet and the first man with a shovel began digging another hole and the second man filled in the hole. Soon a rhythm began to develop. By the time the second man finished, the first man had moved on to another place and begun another hole, and the second man moved up to fill in the newly dug hole. And the driver moved the truck with the trees about 10 feet each time. They were working quickly and efficiently. John was impressed.
When they had dug and filled about 15 holes, they came even with John's house, where he was sitting on the porch. John said, "Great day for outdoor work, eh?" The driver looked over and said, "Yes, and we're ahead of schedule today." John said, "You do seem to be making good time. But you've done fifteen holes and I haven't seen you plant a single tree. You still have all the trees on your truck. What gives?" The driver said, "Oh, that. The fellow who puts the trees in the holes called in sick today."
