Confusing Conversation

Jun 25, 2009 11:12

I just spent fifteen very frustrating minutes trying to get an answer to a very simple question.


Our train and tram contracts have just been renewed (this morning), with two different companies.
And I wanted to know if the people who had been running the trams would still be running the trams.

...and it all gets a bit confusing, so I thought I'd explain by using teddy bears.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A Teddy Bear Themed Explanation

There are two toy companies.

One is called J.B. Goode & Sons. The other is called Magic & Mischief.

Both companies mainly sell teddy bears.

J.B. Goode & Sons get their teddies from a teddy bear maker called Fur, Fluff, & Other Stuff.
Magic & Mischief get their teddies from a teddy bear maker called Ted's Teddies.

These teddy bear makers only sell their teddies to their toy companies. No-one else. Effectively, they are almost part of the toy companies.

So, pretty much, if J.B. Goode & Sons gets the contract, so does Fur, Fluff, & Other Stuff. And vice versa.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

What I wanted to find out was whether Fur, Fluff, & Other Stuff were still going to be our state's main teddy bear supplier.

So, the contracts were announced.
I have no idea which toy company is which, really. So I went over to talk to someone else in my office, and asked "Did Fur, Fluff, & Other Stuff get the contract?"

The answer? "No, they weren't after the contract."

"I know that! But did the Fur, Fluff, & Other Stuff toy company get the contract, or was it the other guys?"

"No, it doesn't work like that. You see, Fur, Fluff, & Other Stuff is a teddy bear maker. There were two toy companies going after the contract."

"Yes, I know. But... was Fur, Fluff, & Other Stuff going to be happy with who got the contract?"

"No, no, Fur, Fluff, & Other Stuff weren't after the contract."

"Yes! I know that! I do! Look... Fur, Fluff, & Other Stuff wanted one of the two toy companies to win, right?"

"Well, obviously one of them was going to win. There were only two companies applying."

"BUT... Which one of those companies is the one that means Fur, Fluff, & Other Stuff gets the contract?"

"No, you see, they didn't want the contract. The two companies were J.B. Goode & Sons and Magic & Mischief. They wanted the contract."

"YES, BUT WHICH ONE USES FUR, FLUFF, & OTHER STUFF?!"

"Actually, Fur, Fluff, & Other Stuff is a teddy bear maker."

...and on, and on, and on.

After ten minutes of that, I wanted to scream.

keyword-30, keyword-28

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