Frugal to a Fault

This really happened.

A two-day conference was coming up that interested both my boss and me. But we thought that two registration fees were too costly ... So we agreed to split the conference. I would go to Day One and my boss would take in Day Two; I would hand him the registration on the second morning and fly back to Ottawa. The logistics were easy because the overnight accommodation and the conference itself were in the same hotel very close to Toronto’s Pearson Airport.

I took a very early flight and attended the Day One sessions. At the end of the evening, I elevatored up to my room and turned in.

About 11 p.m. there was a knock at the door. I got up and opened the door. There was my boss.

He had decided that an evening flight made more sense than traveling on the second morning. But we had booked just one room. And it had just one bed. So shove over. He stripped down to his underwear, climbed in, got comfortable and fell asleep. After overcoming my surprise, I slept soundly too. (And completely uneventfully, let me add.)

Contrary to easy prejudice, public servants who are prudent with the taxpayers’ money actually do exist. But I have never had another boss whose frugality was anywhere close to this dramatic.

You want the details of who, when, and which department? No way.