I didn’t much feel like walking down to Rulo and then later walking back in the cold autumn winds, so I took the lazy way out and saddled up Lunch for the ride. If the businesses kept doing as well as they were currently doing, I’d probably even break down and buy myself a coach a some point. That was how much my world had changed at that point, my new daydreams were a fancy horse-drawn coach, a far cry from my lottery daydreams that had gotten me here.
Lunch, Brin and I took our time ambling up the road towards Rulo. We had the road to ourselves and it gave me time to ponder everything that was happening. Mouse’s reaction wasn’t at all surprising; she was, after all, a young bride living in a new place with a child on the way. It was simply natural that she would be upset hearing that I was leaving again after I had just returned. I would go home after this meeting, snuggle and hold her all night and things would be mostly alright come morning.
The number one priority at tonight’s meeting had shifted from Postal plans to information discipline. There was absolutely no reason that any of the committee’s topics should ever leave the meeting room; it would cost us in blood eventually if I didn’t start enforcing that discipline immediately. There were just too many people around these days, so our decisions and actions need to be firmly decided and presented as one voice and by one voice.
By the time I had it all decided in my head and discussed out loud with Brin and Lunch we were approaching town and the small yet functional town hall. For the record, both of my companions firmly agreed with my stance on the subject.
Lunch had already had his supper so I gave him an apple for dessert, Brin had been fed also but I’d thrown a chunk of knuckle bone into my lunch satchel and that gave him a treat to chew on. I sat down to my bagged supper and began to ponder the opportunities that the postal contract presented. I chowed down on my now lukewarm buffalo, potatoes, carrots and onions; the veggies were roasted whole just like I preferred them. Instead of gravy or sauce, I simply smeared roasted garlic on the potato and meat, all very tasty and filling.
The rest of the committee showed up in dribs and drabs. A half an hour later I had finished my meal and my notes and sat back to enjoy an after meal cigarette and chitchat until we had a quorum.
The meeting kicked off and Robert’s Rules of Order & Boredom kicked in per usual. After all formal niceties were complete I was given the floor to open the topic; I had called this meeting after all. While the original intent was discussing the postal contract, the loose information discipline had now taken center stage in my mind.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Thank you everyone for coming in after supper tonight. As you know we try to avoid spur of the moment meetings if at all possible. So I thank you for the effort in getting here and getting here on time.” My opening statement was just another nicety.
“While I would like to discuss the postal contract at some point, we first need to address an alarming issue that we really shouldn’t need to address. This is a serious issue and can result in immediate dismissal from the council if confirmed!” I continued as my voice got colder and I raised the volume a hair.
I wasn’t shouting but I was being stern, “Let me state for the last time: Things which are discussed in these meetings are not to be discussed outside of this group until a decision and formal announcement has been made!”
People were looking around now trying to figure out what was going on. “Obviously you may discuss things with other council members IN PRIVATE. You MAY NOT discuss them where other ears may hear!”
I was rolling now and several people were looking down at the table, “When a decision has been discussed and approved by the committee we will have a formal announcement, if appropriate, and you can discuss it openly then.
“However, you may only discuss your vote and your opinion on the topic. You may only speak for yourself and you may not discuss other committee members’ opinions or vote.”
It was time to wrap this up. “There is tremendous risk if you speak out of order; things like opportunities, reputations, relationships and even lives rely on committee members maintaining discipline before and after the public announcement.”
“For now we will close this topic as it is not up for discussion or the subject of a vote. It’s a rule you have to follow to be on the committee or to be a guest at committee. We have almost two hundred people relying on us. This isn’t a game folks.” I finished with finality and walked over to refill my coffee before I moved on to the new business.
Not a word was heard from around the table, which was fine by me. The entire episode had been inexcusable and it was disappointing that I had to discuss it in such a manner. It was my job to enforce discipline on the committee, I just hadn’t expected it to affect me personally. I would have to have a conversation with Michelle and Sonya on the way home and it wasn’t going to be a nice one. Apparently I had been on the road too much this summer.
That travel had been necessary to get the village started and the infrastructure in place to allow growth. Rapid growth was what had just bit me in the ass though. A casual attitude was no longer appropriate for the management of the village.
Adding a healthy dollop of bourbon to my coffee I took a long drink and returned to the head of the table.
“All right folks, next topic: the Postal Contract.”