The Handover

Sipho:

Mon 11:00

Dear Frank,

Unfortunately I received your flash disk and copied te contents onto my computer. On opening them, I discovered they relate to the 4th year design course, and there was nothing relating to the fluid mehcanics course.

Since I do not have the required information, I will be forced to consider the course "not yet handed over".

Best Regards,

Sipho

Mon 11:01

Dear Sipho,

Thank you for your informative email.

Please find attached all the course materials for fluid mechanics. I wish you well on being assigned this exciting course to lecture and co-ordinate in 2017. I really enjoyed lecturing it in 2016.

Best Regards,

Frank

Tues9:20

Dear Frank,

I was excited to revceive your email and attachments about this new course. However, imagine my dissappointment when I realised my system was incapacble of handling such a big attachement, and I was forced to delete the email. I am so dissappointed. It's like, at this rate, I'll never be able to officially take over this course.

Yours in sadness,

Sipho

TuesL 9:21

Dear Sipho,

Please do not lose hope! I have made a new course flash disk which I tried to bring to your office. I knocked and knocked and there was no answer, and the door was locked. At first I thought I heard you breathing in there, but maybe it was the wind. Funny, I got there so fast after you sent the email. Maybe you had to rush to the toilet? Anyway, no matter, I have left it in your pigeon hole. Please collect it as soon as possible.

Kind Regards,

Frank

Wed 13h00

In the Tea room:

Sipho: "Hi Frank, I just got this memory stick from my pigeon hole, thanks. It looks a bit damaged, I'm not sure it will work. And this is a cheap make. Kingston. Never heard of it. These Chinese do produce rubbish these days. Wouldn't be surprised if it lost all the data."

Frank: "Well, at least try it, Sipho. The course starts next week, you really need to begin preparing for it."

Sipho: "But Frank, what am I to do? The person who has all the course information and notes s really the coordinator until a proper hadover takes place. Why, I know nothing about the course, I'm relying on this cheap, dirty Chinese device to suffice. qute Frankly, I'm not sure the Chinese can be relied upon. Just having this device in my hand means nothing, I need to see if my computer will read it."

Frank: "Well, Ian the sooner you try, the sooner we’ll know."

Sipho: "Absolutely Frank, the less time this device has to lose the data, the better. Let me just finish my tea. Hmm, careful now, did you just spill your tea on it?"

Frank: "No, it looks like you tried to. Luckily you placed the flash disk so close to me I managed to prevent it. Your tea flew across the table onto my shirt instead. Here, let me slide it across the table, closer to you, for safety."

Frank finishes his tea and leaves the room. In walks Claudia.

Sipho: "Hi Claudia. Do you know who left that flash disk on the table? It might be yours. No? Well, why don’t you take it and see what’s on it, maybe you can work out who it belongs to."

Wed 16h00

Message to all: from Sipho: Would the person who has the Kingston fluid mechanics course flash disk please ensure they are in lecture room SWE120 at 8 on Monday. The students will no doubt be expecting a lecture.

Regards, Sipho.
 

Wed 16h10

Frank: Knock, knock, knock. "Ian, come out. I know you're in there."

Small voice from inside: "How do you know? Anyway, it's past 4 and I finish work at 4. You can come and speak to me tomorrow."

Frank: "Please, please Sipho. It wasn't my choice to give you this course to lecture. You can't hide from your responsibilities for ever."

Small voice: "Until the official handover takes place, it isn't my responsibility. There's nothing I can do to help you. If you can't do the course handover properly, it's not my problem."