THE FINANCIAL CONSULTANT

A WEALTHY AND VERY WELL DRESSED

FINANCIAL CONSULTANT ARRIVED

AT HIS OFFICE TO FILL OUT HIS

REPORT FOR THE COMPANY

HE WAS WORKING FOR. 

THE DAPPER, EXTREMELY CONFIDENT

AND VERY DIGNIFIED GENTLEMAN

LEFT HIS PORSCHE WITH THE

PARKING ATTENDANT AND ENTERED

THE BUILDING WEARING HIS

DESIGNER BUSINESS SUIT.

HIS SHOES CLICKED ALONG THE

POLISHED FLOOR AS HE HEADED

FOR THE ELEVATOR. 

HE PICKED UP THE PAPERWORK

AND STRUTTED INTO HIS WELL

FURNISHED OFFICE, PUT DOWN HIS

FIFTEEN HUNDRED DOLLAR

BRIEFCASE AND SAT DOWN AT HIS DESK.

HE STARED AT THE QUESTIONS

FOR FIVE MINUTES AND

SHOOK HIS HEAD IN DISBELIEF.

HE LOOKED AGAIN

AND HIS SHOULDERS DROPPED. 

"I KNOW I HAVE NO CHOICE,

BUT THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!"

HE SAID OUT LOUD. 

THEN WITH A SIGH OF

EMBARRASSMENT,

HE REACHED DOWN,

UNTIED AND PULLED HIS FEET

OUT OF HIS HIGHLY POLISHED

$800 BROOKS BROTHERS

CAP TOE DRESS SHOES AND

THEN PEELED OFF HIS BLACK

SILK BUSINESS SOCKS AS WELL. 

THE NOW BAREFOOT CONSULTANT

THEN STUFFED THE SOCKS IN THE SHINY,

EXPENSIVE SHOES AND DROPPED

THEM IN THE GARBAGE CAN. 

A FEW MINUTES LATER,

HE SHOOK HIS HEAD AGAIN

WITH FRUSTRATION,

SLOWLY UNTIED HIS $150

HERMES SILK NECKTIE,

PLUCKED THE MATCHING

POCKET SQUARE OUT OF HIS SUIT POCKET,

UNFASTENED HIS MONOGRAMMED

GOLD CUFFLINKS AND SLID HIS

ROLEX OFF HIS WRIST.

HE THREW THEM IN TO THE

GARBAGE AS WELL.

HIS SILVER TIEPIN AND HIS

PAISLEY BRACES FOLLOWED. 

A MOMENT LATER,

THE CONSULTANT DROPPED

HIS HEAD INTO HIS HANDS

AND GROANED.

NO LONGER CONFIDENT

AND DIGNIFIED,

HE LOOKED AROUND FURTIVELY. 

THEN HE ANGRILY SHRUGGED

AND STOOD UP.

HE THEN STRIPPED OFF HIS $2,000

NAVY BLUE PINSTRIPE ARMANI

BUSINESS SUIT AND HIS

STARCHED WHITE SHIRT

AND FOLDED THEM BEFORE

STUFFING THEM IN THE GARBAGE AS WELL. 

THE CONSULTANT FINALLY

SAT DOWN IN HIS UNDERWEAR

AND FINISHED HIS WORK. 

A COLLEAGUE CAME IN,

LOOKED AROUND,

SAW THE STRIPPED CONSULTANT

AND HIS EXPENSIVE CLOTHES

PILED IN THE GARBAGE

AND WAS STUNNED.

“WHY DID YOU DO THIS?”

HE ASKED IN BEWILDERMENT. 

THE FORMERLY WELL-DRESSED

AND IMPECCABLY GROOMED

CONSULTANT ANGRILY AND

WEARILY PICKED UP THE PAPERWORK. 

“WHY DIDN’T YOU WARN ME ABOUT THIS?

IT SAYS RIGHT HERE:

INSTRUCTIONS MUST BE FOLLOWED EXACTLY!

ALL QUESTIONS MUST BE ANSWERED IN BRIEF!”