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Seems like I might have told you this story already, but if that’s the case, here’s your chance, lucky reader, to hear it once again.
David Fischer, years ago, while married to Vivian Lum, was confessedly somewhat famous for procrastination and distractibility. (To the best of this writer’s awareness, Fischer’s present wife seldom observes those vices in her spouse; I am sure she would let him know if she did.) One time, years ago, when Vivian grew exasperated at her husband’s failure to properly complete a household assignment, she chided him: “Remember what your grandmother used to tell you. Don’t do a half-assed job!”
Fischer felt obligated to protest Ms. Lum’s paraphrase of Grandma Fischer’s advice. He recited the ancient ditty:
If a task is once begun,
never leave it ’til it’s done.
Be the labor great or small,
do it well or not at all.
Vivian pursed her lips and shook her head dismissively. “Yes, yes, Dave. That is what I said!”
Ever after, with both versions of the epigram in his head and heart, Fischer pursued every new venture with doggedness and care. As you can imagine, I myself think of him now as an exemplar and an inspiration.
♦
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