Second set

It's 11-30 and Mlle inkspot (15, and conscious of it) isn't answering her phone. She'd said that a bunch of them were going to Ollie's house so eventually I phone there. No says Ollie's dad, I thought they were at your place.

Eventually she does phone in.

"Where are you, I've been worried?"

"Don't worry dad, we're at Ollie's house."

Oh my god she is totally busted. At least she sounds sober, so above all I'm thrilled at being ahead in parenting tennis, it's the first time.

"Oh my god you are totally busted. At least you sound sober, but I'm cross, this isn't a game you know."

Life at the top

To Precision Handling's promotions committee again. I'm there to give the minority view. Well, my view's in the minority and I give it. Maximum Boss comes in. He's meant to be even-handed and impartial and all those other things that nobody ever is and proceeds at once to nobble me. I'm from the same branch of PH and he's particularly supposed not to nobble me.

"I hope you're going to promote Buggins [also from our branch]."

"No I don't think so, the letters are negative [and even libellous]."

"Doesn't matter you should promote him anyway."

This happens in front of everyone so is easy to resist. Which is my point: if you're going to nobble someone shouldn't you at least do so competently? That is, privately, with hints of blackmail? Anyway it didn't work, hurray.