Toe in the Water

Regarding Efficiency

Regarding Efficiency

We all have our ways of doing things, patterns of behaviour that years of experience have taught us are the most efficient route to the desired result. Well, I do, anyway.

This was brought to my attention years ago, when my eldest son was in his twenties. He was watching me make a sandwich in the kitchen. There was nothing unusual about that but I was vaguely aware he did not often spend time observing me with so much interest. The reason for this became clear as I completed the sandwich and was about to eat it. He pronounced judgement.

"You really know how to make a sandwich," he said.

"Doesn't everyone?" I asked.

"Not like that. You didn't miss a bit with the butter and the edges are exactly matched."

I knew that was true. It's how I make sandwiches. "I thought everyone did it like that," I replied and bit into the sandwich.

And that's how I became aware that we all have our ways of doing things. Which explains why so many people don't do things correctly, like putting the new toilet roll in the wrong way, leaving the toaster at the wrong setting, and not returning things to the places where they live.

Sometimes it's hard being perfect.


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