Two incredibly busy men. PHOTO: ODT FILES
Monday
Nicola said I was looking a bit tired and said, ‘‘Why don’t you take the day off?’’
I said, ‘‘But there’s a fuel crisis and I need to tell the nation that everything’s OK.’’
‘‘I’ll do that,’’ she said.
‘‘OK,’’ I said. ‘‘What should I do with myself?’’
‘‘I don’t know,’’ she said. ‘‘Go for a fish, maybe.’’
‘‘OK,’’ I said.
I contacted a skipper. He said he didn’t recommend it. There was a storm coming in and at best we’d get in an hour of fishing.
‘‘Oh may as well,’’ I said.
We went out on the water. He dropped anchor, and we fished for a little while. He got a couple of snapper.
‘‘The storm’s coming in,’’ he said. ‘‘Let’s head back.’’
The sea got very choppy very quickly.
‘‘You’re rocking the boat,’’ I said to him.
‘‘The boat is rocking because there’s a storm,’’ he said.
‘‘Don’t rock the boat,’’ I said.
‘‘It’s a bad storm,’’ he said.
‘‘The last thing you want to do is rock the boat,’’ I said. ‘‘Just keep things nice and easy. Stay calm. Focus. Control the controllables.’’
‘‘Get in the cabin,’’ he said.
Tuesday
I worked up an appetite playing sudoku, and headed into the staff kitchen for a biscuit.
We usually have packets of Krispies and Gingernuts, but the Tupperware container was empty.
I made a few calls to see what was going on.
‘‘All the biscuits have been taken into the Fuel Security Ministerial Oversight Group meeting,’’ an aide said.
‘‘Where is that?’’
‘‘Room 4.7.’’
I got there, but the door was locked. I knocked and after a while Nicola opened it. She kept her hand on the door knob.
‘‘We’re a bit busy,’’ she said. ‘‘What is it?’’
‘‘Are there any biscuits left?’’
‘‘No,’’ she said.
Wednesday
I was enjoying a bit of sunshine on the front steps when a truck pulled up, and staff rushed over to help unload it. They brought out about 20 new wheelbarrows.
‘‘What are they for,’’ I asked.
‘‘Not sure,’’ one of them said. ‘‘They’re going to room 4.7.’’
I made myself useful by taking one of the wheelbarrows, and followed the others up to level 4.
Nicola opened the door, and said, ‘‘Good. Bring them in.’’
‘‘What is this about,’’ I said.
‘‘A contingency plan if the fuel runs out,’’ she said.
‘‘Good thinking,’’ I said. ‘‘Are there biscuits left?’’
‘‘No,’’ she said.
Thursday
Announced the Cabinet reshuffle. Bishop didn’t seem very happy about it.
‘‘You’ve given me too much to do,’’ he said.
‘‘You’ll get used to it,’’ I said. ‘‘I have.’’
Friday
Easter is a time for reflection. I reflected that in my position as CEO, New Zealand is in a good position to weather the fuel crisis, global instability, high inflation, the high cost of living, high unemployment and the sense that we are on the brink of social and economic collapse.
The only thing I wasn’t sure about was my position as CEO.
