Most of the space on top of the desk, on top of the two four-drawer metal filing cabinets, which stood on each side of the desk, and around the floor, was taken up by literally thousands of forms, colour-coded into flame pink, lime, lemon, tangerine, navy, and mauve.

Running a hand across his grey hair, broom-cropped like the hair of a television show army sergeant, the employment officer looked up and saw Jack standing in the doorway.

“Yes?” he asked.   “What can I do for you?” Jack took a newspaper clipping from his shirt pocket and said, “I read in the paper that you’ve got a job going?”

“We’ve always got jobs going,” said the employment officer.   “Squillions of them.   Which particular one did you have in mind?”

“Job BYZ 4724 dash 479C,” Jack read from the clipping.

Amazed, the employment officer said, “What the hell is that supposed to mean in English?”

“That’s the number you’ve got it referenced under in the newspaper,” explained Jack, walking across to the desk to hand the clipping to the employment officer.”

“Yeah, well all that kind of crap is concocted by the cockheads in head office.   What I need to know is the type of job.”   He read the clipping to himself for a few seconds, then said, “Here it is, ‘Storeman and packer and other light manual labour, as directed, could involve some sales across the counter.’”

He looked up toward Jack and said, “That’s right we do, take a seat.”

As Jack sat upon the wooden chair in front of the desk, the employment officer identified himself as Don Reynolds, then handed Jack one of the flame pink forms.

Reynolds took the completed form from Jack and began to read it through to himself.   After a few moments he said to Jack, “It says here you’ve been working for the same firm since before the Second World War?”

“That’s right,” agreed Jack.

“Well, I’ve got to hand it to you, you’ve sure got one hell of a good work record.”

Reynolds read through the form for a few more seconds, and then asked, “Can you drive a forklift?”

“Yes, I had to on occasions in my last job, but I don’t have an endorsed licence.”