An empty shared file leaves a collaborator unable to answer the printer. A credible explanation leads to a new working agreement and a cautious first step.
01Read the Arabic story
الثِّقَةُ بِشَرِيكٍ بَعْدَ مَوْعِدٍ فَائِتٍ
كَانَ يَاسِرٌ يُصَمِّمُ صَفَحَاتِ دَلِيلٍ لِمَعْرِضٍ، بَيْنَمَا أُرَاجِعُ النُّصُوصَ وَأَتَوَاصَلُ مَعَ الْمَطْبَعَةِ. اتَّفَقْنَا عَلَى اسْتِلَامِ النُّسْخَةِ النِّهَائِيَّةِ ظُهْرَ الْجُمُعَةِ، لِتَبْدَأَ الطِّبَاعَةُ صَبَاحَ السَّبْتِ. مَرَّ الظُّهْرُ، ثُمَّ الْمَسَاءُ، وَالْمَلَفُّ الْمُشْتَرَكُ فَارِغٌ. أَرْسَلْتُ رِسَالَتَيْنِ وَلَمْ أَتَلَقَّ جَوَابًا. عِنْدَمَا اتَّصَلَ صَاحِبُ الْمَطْبَعَةِ، لَمْ أَكُنْ أَعْرِفُ مَاذَا أَقُولُ لَهُ.
ظَهَرَ يَاسِرٌ صَبَاحَ السَّبْتِ وَمَعَهُ حَاسُوبُهُ الْقَدِيمُ. قَالَ إِنَّ جِهَازَهُ الْجَدِيدَ تَعَطَّلَ مَسَاءَ الْخَمِيسِ، وَإِنَّ آخِرَ نُسْخَةٍ احْتِيَاطِيَّةٍ كَانَتْ تَنْقُصُهَا سِتُّ صَفَحَاتٍ. ظَنَّ أَنَّهُ يَسْتَطِيعُ إِعَادَتَهَا سَرِيعًا، ثُمَّ طَالَ الْعَمَلُ. لَمْ يُرْسِلْ لِي النُّسْخَةَ النَّاقِصَةَ لِأَنَّهُ شَعَرَ بِالْحَرَجِ. أَرَانِي الصَّفَحَاتِ الَّتِي أَعَادَهَا، وَكَانَتْ تَحْمِلُ تَعْدِيلَاتِنَا الْأَخِيرَةَ.
صَدَّقْتُ شَرْحَهُ، لَكِنَّ الْمَطْبَعَةَ كَانَتْ قَدْ أَعْطَتْ مَوْعِدَنَا لِعَمِيلٍ آخَرَ. كَانَ عَرْضُ الدَّلِيلِ جُزْءًا مِنْ خُطَّةِ الْعَمِيلِ لِلْمَعْرِضِ، وَلَيْسَ تَفْصِيلًا يُمْكِنُ تَأْجِيلُهُ بِسُهُولَةٍ. قُلْتُ لَهُ إِنَّ مَعْرِفَةَ الْمُشْكِلَةِ مُبَكِّرًا كَانَتْ سَتُتِيحُ لِي مُنَاقَشَةَ خِيَارَاتٍ أُخْرَى. رَدَّ بِأَنَّهُ لَمْ يُرِدْ أَنْ يُقْلِقَنِي. سَأَلْتُهُ: وَهَلْ تَرْكِي أَنْتَظِرُ أَقَلُّ إِقْلَاقًا؟ صَمَتَ قَلِيلًا، ثُمَّ اعْتَذَرَ عَنِ الصَّمْتِ نَفْسِهِ، لَا عَنِ التَّأْخِيرِ فَقَطْ.
اقْتَرَحَ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ لَيْلَتَيْنِ لِيُعَوِّضَ مَا فَاتَ. لَمْ أُرِدْ وَعْدًا كَبِيرًا آخَرَ، فَاتَّفَقْنَا عَلَى رَفْعِ كُلِّ جُزْءٍ مُنْجَزٍ فِي نِهَايَةِ الْيَوْمِ، وَلَوْ بَقِيَتْ فِيهِ مُلَاحَظَاتٌ. وَنُخْبِرُ بَعْضَنَا فِي الْيَوْمِ نَفْسِهِ بِأَيِّ عَائِقٍ يَظْهَرُ. تَوَلَّيْتُ شَرْحَ التَّأْخِيرِ لِلْعَمِيلِ، وَتَوَلَّى يَاسِرٌ مُرَاجَعَةَ مَوْعِدِ الطِّبَاعَةِ الْبَدِيلِ مَعَ صَاحِبِ الْمَطْبَعَةِ.
فِي الْمَسَاءِ، وَصَلَ إِشْعَارٌ بِإِضَافَةِ صَفْحَتَيْنِ إِلَى الْمَلَفِّ. فَتَحْتُهُمَا فَوْرًا، مَعَ أَنَّنِي كُنْتُ قَدْ وَعَدْتُ نَفْسِي بِإِغْلَاقِ الْحَاسُوبِ بَعْدَ الْعَشَاءِ. وَجَدْتُ مَكَانَ صُورَةٍ فَارِغًا، وَبِجَانِبِهِ مُلَاحَظَةٌ تَذْكُرُ مَوْعِدَ إِضَافَتِهَا. كَتَبْتُ تَعْلِيقًا عَلَى النَّصِّ وَأَغْلَقْتُ الْمَلَفَّ. لَمْ يُؤَكِّدِ الْعَمِيلُ بَعْدُ قَبُولَ الْمَوْعِدِ الْجَدِيدِ، وَلَكِنَّ صَفْحَتَيْنِ نَاقِصَتَيْنِ كَانَتَا أَمَامِي هَذِهِ الْمَرَّةَ.
Show English translationHide English translation
Yasir was designing the pages of an exhibition guide while I reviewed the texts and communicated with the printer. We had agreed that I would receive the final version at noon on Friday, so printing could begin on Saturday morning. Noon passed, then evening, and the shared file remained empty. I sent two messages and received no reply. When the printer called, I did not know what to tell him.
Yasir appeared on Saturday morning with his old computer. He said his new machine had broken down on Thursday evening and that six pages were missing from the latest backup. He had thought he could recreate them quickly, but the work had taken longer. He had not sent me the incomplete version because he felt embarrassed. He showed me the pages he had recreated, which included our latest changes.
I believed his explanation, but the printer had already given our slot to another customer. Presenting the guide was part of the client’s exhibition plan, not a detail that could easily be postponed. I told Yasir that knowing about the problem earlier would have allowed me to discuss other options. He replied that he had not wanted to worry me. I asked, “And was leaving me waiting less worrying?” He fell silent briefly, then apologised for the silence itself, not only the delay.
He suggested working for two nights to make up for lost time. I did not want another grand promise, so we agreed to upload each completed section at the end of the day, even if it still contained notes. We would tell each other about any obstacle on the day it arose. I took responsibility for explaining the delay to the client, while Yasir took responsibility for checking the alternative printing date with the printer.
That evening, a notification arrived that two pages had been added to the file. I opened them immediately, although I had promised myself I would shut the computer after dinner. I found an empty space for an image, with a note beside it stating when it would be added. I commented on the text and closed the file. The client had not yet confirmed acceptance of the new date, but this time two incomplete pages were in front of me.
02Useful words from the story
| Arabic in the story | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| الْمَطْبَعَةِ | the printing house |
| النُّسْخَةِ النِّهَائِيَّةِ | the final version |
| وَالْمَلَفُّ الْمُشْتَرَكُ | and the shared file |
| نُسْخَةٍ احْتِيَاطِيَّةٍ | a backup copy |
| بِالْحَرَجِ | embarrassed; with embarrassment |
| لِعَمِيلٍ آخَرَ | to another customer |
| خِيَارَاتٍ أُخْرَى | other options |
| لِيُعَوِّضَ | to make up for |
| عَائِقٍ | an obstacle |
| إِشْعَارٌ | a notification |
03Check your understanding
Choose one answer for each question. Use the Arabic text to distinguish facts, motives and supported inferences. Open the English support when needed.
What to remember
- The explanation makes the delay understandable, but it cannot restore a printing slot already given away.
- Regular drafts and prompt warnings create evidence of progress; the first upload leaves both caution and practical consequences visible.
Explore the Arabic in this story
Related grammar and vocabularyOpen Araqick guides connected to this story.
Because in Arabic: Give a Reason with Lianna
لِأَنَّهُ شَعَرَ بِالْحَرَجِ
Use liannahu to follow the emotional reason Yasir gives for withholding an incomplete draft.
Lam in Arabic: How to Say “Did Not”
لَمْ يُرْسِلْ لِي النُّسْخَةَ النَّاقِصَةَ
Notice lam with a jussive verb when the narrator identifies a missing communication.
