Linda was meticulously planning a dinner party for her husband George’s boss. The stakes were high, and everything had to be perfect. She spent the morning creating a very precise shopping list.
She handed the list and a specific amount of cash to George. “Now listen,” she said, her tone serious. “This is everything we need for tonight. I’ve calculated the cost exactly. Please, do not buy anything that isn’t on this list. We’re on a tight budget, so no impulse buys, no snacks, nothing extra. Just these items. Do you understand?”
George nodded dutifully, took the list and the money, and headed out.
Two hours later, Linda was getting anxious. The store was only ten minutes away. Finally, George’s car pulled into the driveway. He walked in, not with arms full of grocery bags, but carrying a single, large, shiny box. He placed it on the kitchen table with a proud grin. It was the latest, most expensive gaming console on the market.
Linda stared at the box, then at George, her face a storm cloud of confusion and fury. “George… where are the groceries? Where is the chicken, the vegetables, the wine for my boss’s dinner party?”
“I didn’t get them,” he said, still smiling.
“I can see that!” she snapped. “Why did you buy this? I gave you a list! I told you how important tonight was!”
George puffed out his chest, looking like a man who had just solved a complex mathematical problem. “It’s simple, honey,” he explained calmly. “I went through the store and added up the price of everything on your list. And you know what? The total cost was exactly the same as the price of this gaming console.”
He paused for dramatic effect before delivering his flawless logic:
“I figured this would be much easier to carry.”