Logic?
This morning I found a fax in my office mailbox that apparently came while I was at home yesterday afternoon. No phone call or email accompanied it letting me know it was there. It was from an organization offering to consider us for a grant, but I have never been in touch with this organization in the past. So it's not like faxes from this organization are common. In fact, I've never received one, to my knowlege. Had I not checked my box this morning, I wouldn't have known it was there.

However, at the top of the fax, it asks for response within one business day. So that would indicate to me that this is a timely piece of paper. Yes? Yes.

But what puzzles me is that at the top of the fax, it also says "If you are unable to respond within two business days, contact our office immediately." So that leads me to wonder, what's the logic in this statement?

If I can't respond within two days, wouldn't contacting their office be responding? Am I supposed to call them and tell them I can't call or fax within two days? Doesn't that defeat the 'being unable to respond' lack of response? What if I am physically unable to respond? Should I call them before I call 911? Or what if I didn't discover the fax until next week? Two days from when? Should I respond that I couldn't respond within two days of them sending the fax, but that I can respond within two days of discovering it in my mailbox? Or do I not need to contact them if I can respond within two days? Should I keep the fax, and not call, knowing that I will be able to respond in two days, but not wanting them to think that a call from me indicates that I will not be able to respond to them within two days? If I do respond by sending the fax back, will they interpret that as contacting them to tell them I can't respond?

How can anyone know what to do? Logically speaking, that seemingly simple request is quite a conundrum.

But I guess I could call them and ask what they mean by the request. Or . . .

C.T.