A young, well-educated man on a business trip gets on a plane to find
himself seated next to an older, weathered man in a western snap shirt,
faded jeans and a cowboy hat. Thinking himself above the old cowboy, the
young man decides to make sport of him.
"You know," he says, "I've heard these flights go much more quickly if
you strike up a conversation with a fellow passenger. So, let's talk."
The cowboy looks at him wryly and says, "Well I s'pose that'd be all
right. What'd ya like to discuss?"
"Oh, I don't know," says the young man with a hint of sarcasm, "How
about nuclear proliferation?"
"Hmm," says the cowboy, sensing the young man's attempt to belittle him,
"That could be an interesting topic. But, let me ask you a question
first -- horses, cows, and deer all eat the same stuff---grass. Yet, a
deer passes little pellets, a cow turns out a flat patty, and a horse
makes muffins of dried poop. Why do you suppose that is?"
Dumbfounded, the young man replies, "I haven't the slightest idea."
"So tell me then," says the cowboy with a smile, "How is it that you
feel qualified to discuss nukes when you don't know crap?"
himself seated next to an older, weathered man in a western snap shirt,
faded jeans and a cowboy hat. Thinking himself above the old cowboy, the
young man decides to make sport of him.
"You know," he says, "I've heard these flights go much more quickly if
you strike up a conversation with a fellow passenger. So, let's talk."
The cowboy looks at him wryly and says, "Well I s'pose that'd be all
right. What'd ya like to discuss?"
"Oh, I don't know," says the young man with a hint of sarcasm, "How
about nuclear proliferation?"
"Hmm," says the cowboy, sensing the young man's attempt to belittle him,
"That could be an interesting topic. But, let me ask you a question
first -- horses, cows, and deer all eat the same stuff---grass. Yet, a
deer passes little pellets, a cow turns out a flat patty, and a horse
makes muffins of dried poop. Why do you suppose that is?"
Dumbfounded, the young man replies, "I haven't the slightest idea."
"So tell me then," says the cowboy with a smile, "How is it that you
feel qualified to discuss nukes when you don't know crap?"