The Anatomy of Municipal Job Security

When a private contractor runs a 50′ waterline,

they send two men and a truck.

When the city runs a 50′ waterline,

they send eight men and four trucks.

And that is just to check out a job site

they scouted three months ago.

Days later, two different men and a truck

will come to run the waterline.

And sometime before lunch

the eight men and four trucks will return.

Four men and two trucks to manage

the two men and a truck who supervise.

No one knows what

the other two men and a truck do.

Except, they must have a well-connected relative.

So they travel around to city job sites,

provide running commentary

on last night’s game and

witty observations about what two men

are doing down on their knees before lunch

surrounded by eight bored municipal employees

who can’t return to headquarters before 3.

5-13-26