A Favor: Bring Me a Small Drum

Exchange in Sheila's office in Ecuador:

Ralph: Think you could bring me a small drum when you go to Ghana?
Sheila: Sure, I can do that.

E-mail message three weeks later . . .

Ralph: Is Sheila still in Ghana? Could you help her select a djembe drum?
Lee: We're going shopping tomorrow and it's on our list.

A week after that in Sheila's office

Sheila: Lee sent this for you. (Hands me a djembe drum key ring, then reveals it's only a joke.)
Sheila: Show me what you had in mind. Show me how tall.




I hold my hand eight inches above her desk. From behind the desk, he pulls out a drum about three times as tall as what I'd indicated. (See photo. Sheila is at the right with her hand on the drum. Sharon is on the left.)

Sheila: Lee told me 'I know this is what Ralph would want.' (Lee doesn't do anything in a small way.)

Result: A nicer drum than I'd ever imagined.

Consequence: Received an e-mailed favor request from Sheila which ended with "Remember the drum."

Conclusion: Drumtalk (different drum sounds heard over long distances) may work just as well as talking and e-mail messages to get your point across.

Please check out the editorial (Africa, but broader and more significant than above story) by Matthew Parris.