Jane awoke from the ashcan in the far corner of her office right below the sign above bearing the symbol for no smoking. Her hair a mess and suit with a few wrinkles she made her way over to her desk her answering machine had over thirty messages. With a soft smile she pressed the delete button. Turning to her monitor she looked at her email and started to read. They were requests for work or sick time or vacations for family. These made her happy because they were electric prayers. People hoping to her for answers and she felt it was her responsibility to answer them in the most confounding way. For those with time off she gave it to the one person she chose to be the new target in the office. This insured all their pent up angst went to them and not her. It was normally the one that did the most work and wanted the most time. After approving that one worker, Jane started to deny the others and some she asked for them to resubmit for different times knowing that they only wanted the times they asked for in the first place and would have to loose money to reschedule. As she worked to do less the phone rang she let it go to voice mail. She truly got a perverse joy out of calling them back five minutes before the close of business and playing phone tag. Never letting them get anywhere but encouraging them to try. In front of her office there was a figure at the front of her door a bout twenty minutes until she was required to see them. Jane gave a soft sigh of ecstasy watching the figure out there waiting patiently to see her. Watching to see if he gave up or stood there was better than any game show. Her heart gave a tiny flutter as Jane started to hear more flocking to her door. Two minutes until nine she looked outside to see them all in a single line down the side of the hall. Leaving the door open she turned off her computer. "Next." She said in a mono toned voice. 

The first guy entered he was in a suit and well groomed. Sitting down, "Ms. Smith. I'm from the director of infrastructure and development and I have been trying to get the signature for approval on much needed transportation projects. I sent you the documents along with the required signatures and permits in tripplicate awaiting you to sent them up to get the final approval. I need them done today so we can begin. All the material was bought last month and the equipment is just sitting on site waiting for the approval to begin work and the funding for the job positions." 

Jane smiled a calm smile. "I understand. I have just returned from vacation and am more than willing to accommodate you. However my computer is down and the minute I can get tech support here to fix the issue I can begin to review and approve your request. However I noticed you failed to mention the approval from the appropriations committee and it would have their signature before reaching this office."

A vein from his upper temple jumped up. "But Ms. Smith I cant get that without the approval from higher on the project as a whole!"

"I'm very sorry but this is the way it is done. If it gets a signature now then you could bypass the appropriation committee and begin work. We cant allow this."

The guy leaned forward gripping the armrests. "But the committee doesn't reconvene for another month and they are back logged two months as it is. Everything needed to begin construction is ready for my district except for payroll. My voters wanted this done over a year ago!" 

Jane looked calm. "I'm sorry there is an outline I am forced to follow and my hands are tied." She waited for him to give up and leave before asking for the next person in line.