ABC

Always be closing, said David Mamet in Glengarry Glen Ross, a play I saw years ago on Broadway with a young Alec Baldwin.

ABC/123 was a song I heard as a ‘tween by none other than Michael Jackson who was then an African American boy.

We’re talking about closing. Jackson is another story for another day. I see barges coming into and out of port. Planes headed to our windows like 9/11 then turning toward the airport, depending on how the wind blows from moment to moment. I’d hate to be an aircraft controller here as the wind changes every two minutes. The barges and planes finish their travels swiftly and take on their next “gig.”

Finishing is something consultants rarely see. All the credit goes elsewhere if the assignment goes well, all the blame ends in our lap if they fail to follow our advice. We’re not invited to the director’s ceremony because they fear we may steal their thunder if they survive and thrive. I never wanted the accolades, just to see and cheer for people who learned and grew because of my tutelage. Grow, learn, wisdom is a great reward but it comes with a fear of death. Dee