Alia wrote to Basma offering to sell him a block of shares in Ahsan Ltd. In his letter, which arrived on Tuesday, Alia asked Basma to let me know by next Saturday. On Thursday Basma posted a reply

accepting the offer. At 6pm on Friday she changed her mind and telephoned Alia. Alia was not there but her telephone answering machine recorded Basmas message stating that she wished to withdraw her acceptance. On Monday Alia Opened Basmas letter, which arrived that morning, and then played back the message on the machine