Half right

At our lunch today McCumber seemed surprised to have to say that as much as he'd love to have me back at work he'd been informed by our mutual boss, the publisher, that the budget wouldn't really allow it just now. This surprised me not at all. But I was surprised by David's counter-proposal, that I do some writing for the paper and web site as a freelancer. (Apparently there's more play in that part of the budget.)

We talked about some specific ideas that I don't really want to go into here, but it was all intriguing enough that I told David I'd think it through and maybe give him a specific proposal.

In the hours since then, though, I've already begun to feel pull-backy. I have some concern about a writing commitment that I might have to break or suspend if my health takes a bad turn. That also would be an issue with returning to a regular full-time job. It also occurs to me that this freelance thing could be bone-headed, financially-wise. What if I give up my disability check for this writing gig and then, a few months down the road, David learns there's not as much play in the freelance budget as he thinks? The answer, probably, would be no income, no insurance and no disability benefit for Matassa's favorite journalist.

It's admittedly a pessimistic scenario, but again it wouldn't surprise me at all. And for all his strengths David hasn't shown himself to be a wizard at money management or reading the publisher's tea leaves.

I'll have to think about it.