Scenario: The Run to the Café

You and a colleague are talking when your conversation is interrupted by your colleague’s telephone ringing. She picks it up and begins talking to the person on the phone. You tell her that you’re going to step out to get a snack from the café and you ask if she would like anything.

“Yes,” she says. “I’m feeling a bit hungry. How about a pastry, strawberry flavored?”

“Sure,” you say, and you begin to leave.

“Sorry, do you mind waiting just a moment?” your colleague calls out before you’ve had a chance to leave. Then she laughs. “There’s a group of people in Javier’s office, and they would like you to get something for them too.”

“That’s fine,” you reply. “What should I get for them?”

“Okay, wait a second,” your colleague says into the phone. “I’m just going to list them, okay? Right, here they are. You want an herbal tea. Sarah wants a coffee with milk. Asha wants what? A bottle of grape juice and a doughnut? What else? A chocolate milk, an orange juice, an apple juice? What? Okay, no apple juice, just an apple … Oh, and another coffee, just black, no milk or sugar. And Bill wants a couple of oranges.”

“Oranges? I don’t know if they sell oranges at the café,” you say.

“Just a minute,” your colleague says, and then talking into the phone, she says “They don’t sell oranges at the café … What? Oh, you’re sure? Okay, I’ll tell him.” Then back to you: “Javier says he’s certain they sell oranges, but if they don’t, then he’d like two peaches.”

“Okay,” you say, “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”