(Disclaimer: this is a work of fiction. Learn to take a joke; you’ll live longer.)
The new Federal Minister for the Interior and Narcotics Control Divisions asked his outgoing predecessor to close the door when he leaves the minister’s office.
“Kindly close the door, if you could, ”said Brigadier (retd) Ijaz Shah, even though though the outgoing minister Imran Khan had not even given any indication, including non-verbal cues, that he was about to leave the interior minister’s office at the Pakistan Secretariat.
“There’s way too much din and noise that comes in from the lobby and I really have work to do.”
“The last guy, you see, has left things in a bit of a mess,” he said, looking Khan straight in the eye. “Much. Much. To do.”
“I mean that Afridi fellow, of course, not you old chap,” Shah said, not breaking eye contact. “Your work….. I respect.”
“You know how much I respect you,” he said. “Now when you leave – again, after closing the door – could you tell that Akram chap to get me a cup of tea, no sugar, just a splash of milk.”