Once upon a time there was a shepherd looking after his sheep on the side ofa deserted road in the Highlands. Suddenly a brand-new bright RedPorsche911 appears, and screeches to a halt beside him. The driver, a woman wearing a Chanel suit, Ray Bans & a Cartier watch, steps out and asks the shepherd:
'If I can guess how many sheep you have can I keep one?'
The shepherd looks at the large flock and says 'Okay'. The woman connects a laptop to a mobile phone fax, enters the NASA website, scans the field using GPS, opens a database linked to 60 Excel files filled with logarithms and pivot tables, then prints out a 150 page report on a high-tech mini-printer.
She studies the report and says to the shepherd: 'You have exactly 1,586 sheep'.
The shepherd replies: 'That's correct. You can have the pick of my flock'.
The woman packs away her equipment, looks at the flock and puts one in the boot of her Porsche.
As she is about to leave the shepherd says: 'If I can guess your profession, will you return the animal to me?'
The woman thinks for a moment, then agrees. The shepherd says: 'You are an NHS manager'.
'Correct', responds the woman, 'but how did you know?'
The shepherd replies: 'Simple. First, you came without being invited. Second, you wasted a lot of time telling me something I already knew. Third, you don't understand anything about the work I do, but interfere anyway - Now, can I have my dog back?!!'
'If I can guess how many sheep you have can I keep one?'
The shepherd looks at the large flock and says 'Okay'. The woman connects a laptop to a mobile phone fax, enters the NASA website, scans the field using GPS, opens a database linked to 60 Excel files filled with logarithms and pivot tables, then prints out a 150 page report on a high-tech mini-printer.
She studies the report and says to the shepherd: 'You have exactly 1,586 sheep'.
The shepherd replies: 'That's correct. You can have the pick of my flock'.
The woman packs away her equipment, looks at the flock and puts one in the boot of her Porsche.
As she is about to leave the shepherd says: 'If I can guess your profession, will you return the animal to me?'
The woman thinks for a moment, then agrees. The shepherd says: 'You are an NHS manager'.
'Correct', responds the woman, 'but how did you know?'
The shepherd replies: 'Simple. First, you came without being invited. Second, you wasted a lot of time telling me something I already knew. Third, you don't understand anything about the work I do, but interfere anyway - Now, can I have my dog back?!!'