Fun_People Archive
19 Mar
Q: Have you no bananas?

Date: Fri, 19 Mar 93 15:29:54 PST
To: Fun_People
Subject: Q: Have you no bananas?

 From: bostic@vangogh.CS.Berkeley.EDU (Keith Bostic)

The following is from a real transcript of a deposition. Just so you can
keep it straight, attorneys Ms. E--, Mr. G--, and Mr. D-- are questioning
Bob Dibbs about the affairs of a certain Mr. Smith.

Ms. E--		Do you have a recollection that Mr. Smith ever
		requested that the claims file be sent to him
		for review prior to the decision to deny coverage?

Bob		I only have a general recollection of conversations
		with Mr. Smith. I have no specific recollections
		along the line that you suggest.

Ms. E--		So that's a "no"?

Bob		"No."

Ms. E--		Thank you.

Mr. G--		I'm sorry. That was a little ambiguous.

Mr. D--		When she says, "So that's a 'no'?" and you said,
		"'No,'" you meant "no" to her question and not
		"no" to her?

Bob		I meant "no" to her question.
		
Mr. D--		Or "yes" to her, "no" that's a question.

Ms. E--		The answer to my question then is "no"; is that
		right, Mr. Smith?

Bob		Well, I'm not Mr. Smith.

Ms. E--		I'm sorry, Mr. Dibbs.
		Thank you, Bob, for bringing that to my attention.
		Would you like to change your answer to my question,
		or is the answer still "no"?

Bob		Depends upon which question you're referring to.

Ms. E--		Why don't we move along. I think the record will
		be reasonably muddled on that point.

© 1993 Peter Langston