On Monday morning, my manager was waiting at my desk. "I need you to work on the Neptune report," he said, handing me boxfile. "Make it your top priority." So I got to work.

On Tuesday morning, my manager was waiting for me again. "How are you getting on with the report?"

I picked up the sheaf of papers from my desk. "I can have it done by Thursday," I told him, and handed him the report.

My manager flicked through the pages and shook his head. "Why are you working on this? You should be working on the Atlas report. Make that your priority." So I got to work.

On Wednesday morning, my manager was waiting for me to get in. "How's the report coming along?"

I showed him the stack of papers that were lying on my desk. "Friday," I said. "You can have it on Friday."

My manager took the report, read the first half-dozen pages and frowned. "This is the Atlas report. What are you dong working on this one? I told you, you have to give the Castle report your top priority." So I got to work.

On Thursday morning, my manager was pacing up and down by my desk. "The report. you'd better have good news."

I gathered together the pile of pages that were scattered across my desk. "Monday? Will that do?"

My manager took one look at the top sheet of the bundle. "Castle report?" he bellowed. He lashed out, and the pages flew everywhere. "Stop screwing around! Start working on the Tiptree report. It's urgent. Can't you get your priorities straight?"

On Friday morning, I was waiting for my manager.