Three Pieces of Paper on My Desk

Many years ago the surface of my desk was a cluttered mess. I decided to clean it up and, with help, in a day or two my desktop was immaculate. Perhaps I was motivated to take action because my assistant discovered a rather large check buried under the disorder. I needed the cash for my brand-new business to survive and it would have been helpful to have deposited the check when it was received four months earlier.

My desk remained neat for nine months. Every single day before I left my offic...