C: A gift. (shakes his collecting tin to drive home the point)
B: Oh, a gift! (his face brightens) A tax dodge!
C: No, no, no, no!
B:  No? Well, I'm awfully sorry. I don't understand. 
     Can you just explain exactly what you want?
C: I want you to give me a pound. And then I'll go 
     away and give it to the orphans.
B: Yes? (waiting, as above, absolutely baffled)
C: Well, that's it.
B: (shaking his head in utter disbelief)  
     No, no, I don't follow this at all, I mean, 
     I don't want to seem stupid, but it looks to me  
     as if I was a pound down on the whole deal.
C: Well, yes you are!
B: I am? But what is my incentive to give you the pound?
C: Well,  the incentive is to make the orphans happy.
B: (genuinely puzzled) Happy?  
     Are you quite sure you've got this right?
C: Yes, lots of people give me money.
B: What, just like that?
C: Yes!
B: They must be sick! I don't suppose you could give me  
     a list with their names and addresses, could you?

posted on Sunday, December 21, 2008 link to this post