Get That Report on My Desk by Three!


Andertoons business cartoon about the silliness of deadlines

Sometimes a cartoon idea comes gradually over a few days. It’s what I refer to as “letting it marinade.”

This one started with that old office standby, “I need that report on my desk by three!” I worked with it, played with it, ruminated on it, and, finally, just gave up and called it a day.

A few days later I was shopping at the local hardware store and saw one of those tiny little portable grills. I thought about how small they looked, and how far I’d have to bend over to grill on one. I imagined putting the thing up on a table or desk, which reminded me of “…on my desk…” and this odd little cartoon was born.

I don’t pretend to understand why this one tickles me (although the word “bratwurst” is inherently funny), but it does.

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Mark Anderson, professional cartoonist

About the Author: Mark Anderson’s cartoons appear in publications including The Wall Street Journal and Harvard Business Review. Anderson is the creator of the popular cartoon website, Andertoons.com, where he licenses his cartoons for presentations, newsletters and other projects. He blogs at Andertoons cartoon blog.

8 Comments ▼

Mark Anderson Mark Anderson's cartoons appear in publications including Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Harvard Business Review. His business cartoons are available for licensing at his website, Andertoons.com.

8 Reactions
  1. Cute, I like how you snuck in your last name there too. Even our bellies have deadlines. 🙂

  2. You know, I tend to use my name a lot because 1) it’s generic, and 2) it’s mine, so I figure I can use it.

  3. Anderson: I am getting hungry! Could I visit your office? 🙂

  4. Small business is hard , We run a photography company on the Gulf Coast where we photograph beach weddings ,Now days it’s not just the art of capturing great images , everyone with a camera claims to be a photographer I read last week where the 10 most over paid business was a Photographer . Photography being #10.

  5. Um. . . I don’t get it. It just went right by me. Sorry.

  6. Excellent! Another great one, Mark!

  7. Ha! thank you for this laugh in the middle of my day! I love how you included how your brain got to this cartoon idea too. And I totally agree, the word “bratwurst” is inherently funny.

    ~Elizabeth

  8. Sometimes that’s exactly how it feels — you’re so swamped it might as well be bratwurst!

    My favorite response to that was “No Problem! My wonderful staff of “me, myself and I” will get right on that one!”

    That usually had the boss do a double take.