Government Requisition Snafu
The chief architect for a large federal project determined that 15,000 new doors would be required, and of course also 15,000 pairs of hinges. For once, the shipment was expedited. However, someone in Washington, desirous of avoiding waste, reduced the door order to 12,000. Someone else, somehow concluding more hinges would be needed, increased that part of the order. Then—somehow—the hinge order was multiplied. The contractor received 12,000 doors and 240,000 pairs of hinges! That tale comes from a dependable…