Once upon a time there lived a girl named Ellen Emm.  She worked for a great big 
insurance company, in a great big building, in the center of a great big city. 


Ellen Emm was the editor for the great big insurance company’s newspaper.  She liked 
her job very much and she worked very hard.  


One day Ellen Emm was at a meeting with the other people she worked with.  They 
would meet every Monday morning at 9:00 a.m. to discuss what they were doing and how 
they could do it better.   When it was Ellen Emm’s turn to talk, she turned to Eloise 
Tunsunwaller, her boss, and asked "E.T., can you make me some 4 x 5 cards with 
information about all the different insurance companies I write about?  I have an awful 
memory and those cards would be a great help to me."  E.T. didn’t answer Ellen Emm, 
but you could tell by the way she was looking, that she was thinking very hard.  When the 
meeting was over E.T. left without saying a word; Ellen Emm was very confused. 


A few days later, E.T. was at a more important meeting with other supervisors like 
herself.  They would meet every Wednesday at 9:00a.m. to discuss what they were doing 
and how they could do it better.  When it was E.T.’s turn to talk, she turned to Teddy 
Bunch, her boss, and asked, "T.B., don’t you think that loose leaf pages, like these, with 
information about all the different insurance companies we sell in a binder would be a 
great help to our staff?  Some people have awful memories and binders like this would be 
a great help to them."  T.B. didn’t answer E.T., but you could tell the way he was looking, 
that he was thinking very hard.  When the meeting was over, T.B. left without saying a 
word; E.T. was very confused.  


A few days later, T.B. was at an even more important meeting with the other department 
heads like himself.  They would meet every other Friday at 9:00 a.m. to discuss what they 
were doing and how they could do it better.  When it was T.B.’s turn to talk, he turned to 
Sr. Executive Vice President Gainford Imp and asked, "G.I., don’t you think a large 
spread sheet like this, folded like a road map, with all the information about all the 
insurance companies we sell to, would be a great help to our agents?  Some agents have 
awful memories and these spread sheets would be a great help to them."    G.I. didn’t 
answer T.B., but you could tell the way he was looking that he was thinking very hard.  
When the meeting was over, G.I. left without saying another word; T.B. was very 
confused.  


A few weeks later, GI. was at an even more important meeting with all of the company 
executives.  They would meet every month for dinner to discuss what they were doing 
and how they could do it better.   When it was G.I.’s turn to talk, he turned to the 
company President Gilford Illford and asked, "Upper G.I., don’t you think a large wall 
sheet like this, with all the information about all the insurance companies we sell to, 
placed on all the walls, on all of our offices throughout the country, would be a great help 
to all of our agents and staff members alike?  Some of us have awful memories and these 
wall sheets would be a great help."  Upper G.I. didn’t answer, but you could tell the way 
he was looking that he was thinking very hard.   


When the meeting was over, Upper G.I. turned to Lower G.I. and said, "Lower G.I.,  the 
corporation doesn’t pay you to design wall murals.  If you think such information is 
needed, put it on 4 x 5 cards and give it to your people.  As for the agents, let ‘em go 
scratch, we spoil them enough."   


The next day, Lower G.I. called T.B. to his office.   "T.B.," he said, "the corporation 
doesn’t pay you to design road maps.  If you think such information is needed, put it on 4 
x 5 cards and give it to your people."  


An hour later T.B. called E.T. into his office.   "E.T.," he said, "you’re getting paid to put 
out a company newspaper, not to print novels.  If you think such information is needed, 
put it on 4 x 5 cards and give it to your people."  


The next day Ellen Emm found a neat stack of 4 x 5 cards with all the information she 
wanted on them.  


She was very, very, very, very confused.


Joseph Vosbikian