The Perfect Filing System

I know where it is. Go on . . . ask me!

Dad was a veterinarian.

The only one for several counties.

If you don't count Dr. Brewster at the Coutt's border crossing.

Who didn't make farm/ranch calls.

Mine did.

Make calls, that is.

And there will be several blogs about that.

Later.

But right now, I'm concerned with his office.

Let me start again . . .

Dad was a veterinarian as well as a purebred Polled Hereford breeder.

And always had an office somewhere in our home.

Better.

There were the inevitable examination counters.

And uncomfortable waiting room chairs.

There was a fridge holding such things as penicillin.

Bottles of 5-way or 8-way or black-leg or rabies vaccines.

And other stuff that I couldn't pronounce.

I should mention, here, that Dad knew what each bottle did.

Probably important for a veterinarian to know.

He also had several large filing cabinets standing about the room.

Full of . . . files.

Mostly.

Dad knew exactly where everything could be found in his office.

He was very organized.

Very.

One day, he was working on the registration forms for his new crop of calves.

A time-consuming task that only he could do.

Heh. Heh.

I sauntered in.

Sauntered.

Yes. Just like in the old west.

Ahem.

Daddy looked up from his desk.

“Diane, could you look in that file cabinet over there,” he pointed with his pen, “and get me the 'G' file?”

I turned to the indicated file and pulled open the appropriate drawer. “This one?”

“Yes. Just the 'G' file, please.”

I started to work my way through the alphabet.

There was a large space partway through. I jumped to that.

'J' as it turned out.

“Daddy, did you know that you have a large bag of ju-jubes in your filing cabinet?”

“Yes.”

“Filed under 'J'?”

He looked at me. “Where else would they go?”

Where indeed.

I continued my search.

Huh. Chips under 'C'.

Also chocolate.

I finally found the 'G' file and, pulling it out, handed it to my father.

But then I turned back to the cabinet.

Way too interested to stop now.

“Dad, you have Oreo cookies under 'O'.”

Dad looked up. “Is that where they are?!” he said. “I kept looking for them under 'C'.”

Yep. Filing cabinets and organization.

They go together.

Like treats and snack time.

Who knew they could be so similar?