A city boy, Bernie, moved to the country and bought a donkey from an old farmer for $100.00. The farmer agreed to deliver the donkey the next day. The next day, however, the farmer drove up with some bad news.

"I’m awful sorry, son,” the farmer told Bernie, “but I’m afraid that donkey you bought up and died."

Bernie shrugged it off. "Not a problem,” he said. “Just give me my money back, and we’ll call it even."

Sadly, the farmer shook his head. "Can't do that. I went and already spent the money."

"Okay,” Bernie said. “Then, just unload the donkey."

“What?” The farmer was understandably puzzled. "Well, what would you want with a dead donkey?"

"I'm going to raffle him off," Bernie replied.

"Now you can't raffle off a dead donkey!" the old farmer argued.

"Why, sure I can. You just watch me. All I have to NOT do is tell anyone the donkey is dead."

About a month later, the farmer met up with Bernie again.

"So, what ever happened with that dead donkey?" the farmer asked him.

"Oh, I raffled him off, just like I said I would. Sold 500 tickets at two dollars a piece, netting a clean profit of $898."

"You what? well -- didn't anyone complain?"

Bernie nodded. "Yeah, the guy who won. I opened the shed door to show him the donkey, and we were all just stunned, seeing him just laying there in the straw. Some folks, though, seemed to think it was kind of funny.”

“What about the guy who won the dead donkey?”

“Oh, well, naturally I apologized and gave him his two dollars back. He seemed pretty satisfied."

The Punch Line:

Bernie grew up, and eventually became the CEO of WorldCom.
--

Dan