But no matter the effort I invest, the tricks I try., the coaches I consult, those obstinate numbers don’t budge. Regardless of the nights I toss, the hours I spend hunched at my computer, staring at the spreadsheet titled “Simon E. Friedler Expediting Corp,” the bold figures at the bottom stare back unflinchingly and keep on inching steadily, heedlessly, down, down, down.
A spasm of pain shoots through my lower back. I jerk, then carefully straighten up, shifting the phone to my other ear.
I should’ve pursued other clients more aggressively, back when Insignia Construction still provided a steady flow of lucrative jobs. Two years ago, Insignia changed management and dropped off my radar. Then the IRS fiasco sucked us dry, and Covid froze construction for months, leaving expeditors like myself with no building permits to obtain, no construction plans to get approved – and no source of income. And then self-filing with DOB NOW gained popularity. I’ve been struggling since.
“Also,” my sister Shaina says in my ear, “we should talk about Daddy’s yahrtzeit.”
Create a free account to keep reading.
