The Tick that Clicked

The President of the Animal Welfare Board sent notice after notice urging the members to attend board meetings. Yet, these notices went unheeded. The rules stated that no meeting could take place unless at least one-third of the members were present.

One day, the president decided to fix a meeting and allowed a rumor to spread that the king himself would preside over the session. As anticipated, all the members turned up in hopes of witnessing a grand event.

However, as soon as they learned that the king would not be coming, their excitement faded. The members began glancing at the door, eager to sneak out.

“If any of you have not paid the coachman of a hired vehicle, you should go out and settle your debts,” announced the president. With that declaration, all members promptly exited, and the president was left to conclude the meeting alone.