nookered Again

ome time ago Baron Von Lodge was the head of a small country near Switzerland known as Lilliland.

To keep the government going smoothly, a wise purchasing agent was needed. The director of purchasing was responsible for the buying of all goods and supplies needed in Lilliland Castle and for the Lilliland government. It was a very responsible position.

When the previous purchasing director retired a young director fresh out of the university was appointed. He had good ideas about taking advantage of the latest advances in technology for record keeping and making sure that the castle did not run out of anything.

Everything was going along fairly well at first; then things began to happen. Typically, the maintenance for the new products was not readily available and the replacement parts required often had to be shipped great distances. The depth of experience of the new director was trying the patience of the castle staff that did not need to wait for essential supplies such as paper, ink, soap, paint, gardening supplies and furniture repairs.

Finally one day, when the Baron called for a pen and paper to write a letter to a cousin to invite him to visit Lilliland, none was to be found. The castle had run out of the Baron’s official personal stationery.

The castle lawn had not been cut for some time because the lawn mower was broken and a repair part was on back order.

The Baron informed the Professor that things were not going so well and that the new purchasing director should be reassigned somewhere else until he got more experience.

The Professor asked the retired 80-year-old purchasing agent to please come back and resume his old job for the time being, or as long as he wished.

The former purchasing agent came back and within a short time the business of the castle was humming again.

The Baron said to the Professor that some people just cannot be replaced. The Professor agreed.