Communication breakdowns

[fingal]

What's the worst communication breakdown you've ever experienced?

This can really mess things up ... For example the story goes that during World War 1 a battalion of men were pinned down in a trench under fire, and things were looking bad.

Their general sent the following message back to HQ:

"Send reinforcements, we are going to advance". After passing through many channels it finally arrived as "Send three and fourpence [old UK currency], we are going to a dance".

Of course this is just a silly story, but today I experienced the office equivalent of that message, finally ending as, 'No, you aren't doing that training course today. Oh no-ooooo! Sorry for the misunderstanding!'

Wikipedia article here if you want to ...

Any stories?

[Dapper Dan]

Two old boys I've known for a long time were in having beers one day. Neither of them could hear as well as they used to. Every time one would say something, the other would invariably ask, "what?" and the other would have to repeat himself even more loudly. After a few beers and a lot more miscommunication, I finally told both of them they might want to consider buying a couple of hearing aids. They both gave me a rather dubious look. After a long moment, one piped up and asked me, "What the hell are we gonna do with a couple of hand grenades?"

[fingal]

Lol! I knew someone would make me laugh today ... And I needed to laugh.