There was an expectant father who had spent quite some time waiting for the offspring to arrive – at his in-laws place.

As his leave balance had gone into the red, he tells his father-in-law: When my son comes, do not call up office and say that I have become a father of a boy, etc. otherwise Ill have to shell out a lot for parties etc. Just tell me that the clock has arrived. This will be our code for the arrival of the baby.

The offspring does arrive one day, but its a daughter. The father-in-law now thinks: If I tell him that the clock has not arrived, hell misunderstand that some thing has happened to the baby and come rushing over.

So he sends the message: The clock has arrived, but the pendulum is missing.