Unexpectedly, Jessica called this morning. Isn't it always a pick-me-up when you're given news of an upturn in your material fortunes, isn't it just!

I was right on the cusp of pouring the batter for a banana cake into the baking dish I had prepared, with the convection oven pre-warmed, when the telephone rang and I set down the mixing bowl and the spatula I was holding and answered the telephone. There was a longish pause after I responded, then Jessica's sweet voice greeting me, and asking me how I am.

Is it not entirely disarming to know that people are interested in your well-being? Even complete strangers who introduce themselves as "Jessica"? Lout that I am I responded rather differently, I imagine, than she was given to anticipate, by asking instead of answering, what I could do for her. A pause followed, then the smooth delivery to inform me of my great good fortune.

For I had been exceptionally selected to be the recipient of an offer no one in their right mind could conceivably refuse: a cut-rate holiday package to Bermuda was mine, along with the opportunity to vie for cash and gifts on taking up the offer.

Indeed, I wasn't able to hear the entire offer of glad tidings because of my continuing bad manners in cutting her spiel short by saying, "Jessica, Jessica? Thanks for calling. No need for you to continue. I am sincerely disinterested."

Silence again, as I hung up the line.

Not without feeling slightly badly for Jessica, since a job is a job.

Then I returned to my cake-baking enterprise.