Green Workers and Green Trees

We all have them, those pivotal moments in a plan where we make a decision and run with it, only think later “Damn, hadn’t thought of that”!

This is one such story. A couple hours from where I live is a nice little town and from an outsider’s point of view the Wali Kota (Mayor) has/is doing a very good job. The streets are clean, there is a garbage service and generally the town infrastructure is sound. Of course, like the majority of Indonesia, basic amenities like power and water remain sporadic at best, however that is well outside the local Wali Kota’s control.

Along with clean streets a significant work force is employed to ensure the Parks and Gardens are maintained. This is where the pivotal plan moment kicks in, its very easy to imagine.

Scene: The bosses all sitting around admiring their new Blackberrys (in tandem with the second compulsory “mistress phone”).

First Official “Ok, we have got these Parks and Gardens up and running and have a new budget for uniforms”

Second Official “Great, that should keep every one happy, what is the design”

First Official “I was thinking Parks and Gardens, its obvious the uniform should be Green”

Second Official “ Great Idea, lets do it maybe we will get mention in the Stern Report”

Three weeks later…

First Official “We seem to be going through a lot of Parks and Gardens workers’

Second Official “Why, they not happy? We bought them uniforms”

First Official "That’s the trouble, most of our Gardens are in the middle of the roads, with the green uniforms, the workers look just like bushes until they stand up in front of the on-rushing bus”

Second Official “Sheesh, our poor workers, Green seemed such a good idea. I wonder what the last thing is going through their mind when the bus hits them"

First Official “Their arse”

HAPPY PHONE RINGS = END SCENE