During World War II a story abouth the three leaders &045; Mussolini, Hitler and Churchill &045; made the rounds.

It was said that the three met near a beautiful pool in a neutral country.

In the pool was a single beautiful fish.

Agreeing that each of their countries was losing too many men, it was decided that each of the three should attempt to catch the fish.

The winner would be pronounced the victor.

Mussolini had first chance. Drawing himself to his full height he exclaimed, &uot;Long live Italy,&uot; and drew his saber from its holder, rushed to the pool and made a slash at the fish, missing it entirely.

Next Hitler approached the pool, raised his arm in the Nazi salute, drew his pistol and exclaiming &uot;Heil Hitler!&uot; shot at the fish and missed.

Then Churchill, who had been having a spot of tea at their poolside table, brought his teaspoon to the edge of the pool sat down, and murmuring, &uot;There will always be an England,&uot; began emptying the pool one spoonful at a time.

His method is the one I’m using in attempt to get my blue room cleaned. My blue room, the upstairs bedroom on the southeast corner of the house, always presents a problem. There are two other bedrooms upstairs and four or five rooms downstairs, depending on how you count entries and such.

The blue room is where I write and is the only room that is more or less off limits to guests. Therefore when guests are on the horizon I have, or had back in the days when I was more energetic, a tendency to grab anything that seems in the way and add it to the room.

It’s not a large room. It contains a computer, with its desk and shelves, a table for my printer, a desk with shelves underneath, a four-drawer file, two two-drawer files, two grey files with the file compartment on top and six shallow drawers underneath the file compartment.

The drawers would be very handy except that two large plastic boxes are sitting directly in front of them, filled with paperback books.

I don’t know exactly what books, but I know I can’t part with them.

I also have a beautiful red-framed double file with plastic doors over the top. The file part can be lifted out or pushed on its wheels form room to room. There’s nothing much in that one, but it’s probably my favorite.

Then there’s the six-drawer green and red file meant to store Christmas decorations, but I find it convenient, being light, to store writing paper. It’s on wheels, too, so I pull it up to my computer desk when I’m writing.

I don’t know how many portable files I have. They sit on the floor along with my shredder. I also have a three-drawer arrangement I found in a hardware store some years ago; the drawers are about four feet long. I think it was originally intended as some sort of a tool chest. I have computer instruction books in it.

I don’t know where anything is. Deciding that steps must be taken, I made a chart on New Year’s Day (not this year, but 2002).

Following the example of Churchill, I planned it take it section by section. It pleases me to report that I almost have the first section finished.

It still is not safe to walk through the room unless you walk very, very slowly and keep the room well lighted while walking.

I also pray that those who think of me as a friend, should I disappear for any significant length of time, look for me in the blue room.

As you know, I have never had a very clear sense of direction.

Love Cruikshank is an Albert Lea resident. Her column appears Thursdays.