Sly Ones

Don’t ever let anyone tell you the locals aren’t smart.  The ones we deal with are the survivors of thirty years of war.  They know how we think and have mastered our processes and naiveté.  Mr. George, I have these old bills for wood and fuel from two years ago.  The documents are complete and all they need is your signature.  My Army Deputy, with disbelief in his eyes, tells me that he has seen this before and warns me not to fall for it.  Hmmm, why so long I ask the claimant?  Well, they are from the provinces and were returned many times for incompleteness.  Clue 1 (Poor work).   Having incomplete documents is a sign of lax discipline I say.  Yes, but they have now learned how to make good documents so the Coalition can approve them.  Clue 2 (Suck up).  So how do I know these bills have not been paid before, I ask? They have not and this I know, he says with confidence.  Clue 3 (He knows I can’t substantiate).  Well we’ll take a look and let you know, but if the papers are in order, then likely the bills will be paid.  My Deputy sits quietly watching all this unfold. 

Well, a little bit of due diligence won’t hurt will it? I rationalize later to my Deputy.  George, he says, you have now hitched your wagon to their horse, and it’s going to be hard to say no.  Sure enough, a few days later thirty more contracts worth of bills show up.  Damn!!!! I’ve been had.  So now I have developed this elaborate committee process to review old bills………and have been given the name “Mr. Old Bills”.  To complete the theater, I even had a document stamper made up.  My Deputy is still laughing.