Communication Gap: The case for context

Mr. Sharma comes home one night, and his wife throws her arms around his neck: "I have great news: I'm a month overdue. I think we're going to have a baby! The doctor gave me a test today, but until we find out for sure, we can't tell anybody. "

The next day, Mrs. Sharma receives a telephone call from AEC (Ahmedabad Electric Company) because the electricity bill has not been paid. "Am I speaking to Mrs. Sharma?"

"Yes. . . . . . speaking"

AEC guy, "You're a month overdue, you know! "

"How do YOU know? " stammers the young woman.

"Well, ma'am, it's in our files! " says the AEC guy .

"What are you saying? It's in your files. . . . . ! . HOW ? ? ? ? ? "

"Yes . . . . . . . . . . . . . We have a system of finding out who's overdue"

"GOD ! ! ! ! ! ! . . . . . . . . . this is too much. . . . . . . . . . "

"Madam, I am sorry. . . . . . I am following orders. . . . I have to inform you are overdue"

"I know that . . . . . . . let me talk to my husband about this tonight. . . . . he will speak to your company tomorrow "

That night, she tells her husband about the visit, and he, mad as a bull, rushes to AEC office the next day morning. "What's going on? You have it on file that my wife is a month overdue? What business is that of yours? " the husband shouts.

"Just calm down, " says the lady at the reception at AEC, "it's nothing serious. All you have to do is pay us. "

"PAY you? and if I refuse? "

"Well, in that case, sir, we'd have no option but to cut yours off.

"And what would my wife do then? " the husband asks.

"I don't know. I guess she'd have to use a candle. "