Late today it finally dawned on the Boss that the week was almost over, even though it’s only Tuesday. I know because he phoned me for the first time since last week, and then the faxes started streaming in. This wasn’t how I planned to end the work day, starting a new spreadsheet at 5:30 pm.

The critical mistake I made wasn’t doing the job. It was doing the job quickly and faxing it back right away. If I’d taken a little more time than it actually took me, no one would have been the wiser and I wouldn’t have opened myself up for new assignments and further revisions. I should know this tactic by now, as I’ve used it often enough in the past.

I don’t usually pretend to be slower (or dumber) than I am, mostly because I don’t usually have to. And earlier in the day I did it right. I was dragging around so stupidly all morning that I totally ignored every demand on my time, except for the few little easy things I felt like doing. It’s not that working so late last night left me feeling entitled, but— well, maybe it is that after all.

Anyway, I now have just one day to work before the long weekend, and I’m disappearing until Monday. No one will be able to find me, not the Boss nor the FBI nor the draft board nor the credit card companies trying to get me to sign up for payment protection for a ninety-day free trial. Not even the fine readers of this page, I’m afraid. (But many of you will have no trouble at all figuring out where I’ll be.)