A traveling-salesman type was opening up new sales territories in Africa.  One 
day he fell ill.  Since he was a man of action, he sought immediate medical attention.  
Even though the only nearby facility was a witch doctor, he went to see the man.  
The witch doctor looked him over, then cut a long, thin strip from a piece of leather 
and gave it to the man, saying,

"Chew on this, and by the time it's all gone, you'll feel better."

As mentioned, the salesman was a man of action, so he spent the rest of the day 
chewing on the piece of leather.  Nonetheless, he didn't feel better, in fact, as you 
might imagine, he felt worse.  So he went back to the witch doctor and said,      

"Doctor, the thong is ended but the malady lingers on!"