Saturday, February 7, 2009

Cultural Excursion

I've heard some good stories during my surgical recovery period. John Barge shared this one over the phone yesterday. He swears it's true.

A tour group from the United States was taking a train through Ireland. The group included a Baptist minister from Alabama. As they clackety-clacked through the emerald grassy fields, a group of Irishmen came bursting in the door from the next carriage. "Ladies and gentlemen!" exclaimed the first Irishman. "Can I have your attention please! Is there a Roman Catholic priest aboard?" All the Americans looked at each other, but nobody spoke. Apparently there was not. So the Irishmen went running to the next car. The Baptist pastor looked particularly disturbed.

A few moments later the Irish guys came running back from the opposite direction. "Is there an Anglican or Episcopal priest here?" they asked. Nobody spoke for a moment, but then the Baptist minister said, "I'm a Baptist preacher. Can I help y'all?"

The first Irishman smiled. "I doubt it, laddie. We're lookin' for a corkscrew."

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