Fish knows the equipment was packed up by someone from the IT department. And he knows it once had a cable, because the secretary used the scanner regularly. But now there's a scanner, a power cord -- and no cable.

Still, that's hardly a crisis. Next time he's at the main office for training, fish stops by IT to ask for a cable. The one I need is just like that, fish says, pointing to a cable a nearby IT guy is holding. Can I have that one?

"Sure, no problem," IT guy says. "But then when you get a chance, go out and buy another and mail it to me so we can replenish our stock."

Actually, you owe me one, fish argues. When you packed up my office, you mistakenly held on to something I needed.

But the IT guy won't budge, and fish decides it's easier to buy a cable and expense it than go through the rigmarole of borrowing, buying and mailing. Fish leaves the IT office shaking his head.