A simple story of Nobody

This was something I picked up from high school (or maybe even grade school). I think it stuck because I was fascinated with the wordplay and its having a strong message contained in it even though it was so short and simple. The story goes (just that one paragraph that follows):

This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it. Nobody knew Everybody wouldn’t do it. Everybody was sure Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. In the end, Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

I find that you can take it in different contexts — at work, for some chore at home, in society — and it still works. And it’s a sad story when nobody does what somebody or everybody should be doing.

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.