A Breakdown in Communication

A highly efficient gentleman I used to know workedyou are clever clogs, see what you can make of
for the World Health Organization and was posted tothat.'
Khartoum during the difficulties in the mid eighties.The document was a telex, blotched with coffee and
Craig was highly strung yet dedicated, fiercelywell handled, obviously Craig and his nutty secretary
determined to achieve some improvement inwhom he called Blossom for some reason had spent
conditions for the people under his care and ruthlesslysome time trying to figure out the meaning of the
resourceful when trying to replenish his meagermessage it contained.
stores of supplies.'Bloody thing's in code I reckon!' He shouted above
Craig had tolerated a breakdown in communicationsthe noise of the traffic outside.
with his departmental supervisors for weeks overThe first paragraph said, 'Drugs ok.' The second said
the subject of his request for vaccine, certain other'Seek local help.'
medicines and most of all, a serviceable truck, as his'Where is your requesting telex Craig?' I asked.
allocated department issued truck had been stolenBlossom scurried around to the other desk and finally
four weeks previously whilst delivering aid to one offound her written request under a banana which she
the camps.was using as a paperweight.
I passed by his window one morning and heThe 't' and the 'r' on Blossom's telex machine had
beckoned me to come in and sit for a few minutes inwelded together and formed an 'f.' Craig had
the chaos of his sand-floored office. He thrust a dogrequested a serviceable f--k.
eared yellow paper under my nose and said 'There