Marley and me

My original co-shareholder Jacob died some years ago leaving me in sole control. This afternoon my clerk – Robert – and I were discussing the accounts.

The figures this year contain some expenses that have not previously appeared. I earn my money from the field of finance but following a meeting with three visitors this time last year I had a change of heart and decided that mankind is my business.

The common welfare is my business; charity mercy forbearance and benevolence are all my business. Consequently this year there has been a lot of expenditure of what can best be described as being of a benevolent nature.

How do I treat these past payments at the present time to satisfy the auditors in the future? At the moment they have been put in a heading entitled ‘back-payments’.

I think...