Stint

To be thrifty, set limits (v.)

Rodney Blum takes a long gulp of water before the Congressional Panel on Narcotics Trafficking begins questioning him. He takes a breathe and composes himself. One of the senators clears his old throat and begins the hearing.
"Mr. Blum, you are head of the Federal Commission for Immagration Special Projects, is that right?"
"That's correct," he says.
"And the "special project" you headed most recently was the construction of a wall along our borders with Mexico?"
"Yes, sir," Blum swallows.
The questions begin. They are obvious at first and build to a crescendo of difficultly as the panel tries to piece together each piece of the puzzle of Blum's failure.
"Mr. Blum, did you know that the substance, the concrete substitute, you chose to build the wall with could be broken down and used as a narcotic?"
"No sir, I was not aware that fact until after the decision was made to purchase large quantities of the substance."
"I see," says the congressman.
"And I might add," says Blum, leaning forward, "on the budget Congress approved for the project, that particular concrete substitute was the only material we could afford."
The congressmen looked at one another, peering at each other over their glasses.
"The government's frugality in its subsidizing of special projects will be noted, Mr. Blum."