The mothers of four priests got together and were discussing their sons. My son is a monsignor, said the first proud woman. When he enters a room, people say, 'Hello, Monsignor'.The second mother went on, My son is a bishop. When he enters a room, pe...
My husband and I are both writers. During dinner conversations, we often tell our children about our working days. It wasn't clear how much they absorbed until one day I overheard my seven-year- old, Lucy, cry out in frustration at her five-year-old...
I teach computer courses, and my students often call me at home with questions. One morning I was on the phone, explaining in computer language the solution to a problem, while a repairman was fixing my refrigerator. After an endless stream of C colo...
I had been trying to get my friend Mike-a rock' n roll fan-interested in classical music. When I offered to purchase tickets to a Mozart festival, he willingly agreed to accompany me and seemed to enjoy the symphony. After the concert, I mentioned ho...
A bull wrestler was visiting his friend in a small town, and one night they stayed a little too long at the pub. Not wanting to drive, they decided to walk home. As they were crossing a farmer's field, a bull charged them. The wrestler grabbed the bu...
The school of agriculture's dean of admissions was interviewing a prospective student. Why have you chosen this career? he asked. I dream of making a million dollars in farming, like my father, the student replied. Your father made a million dollars...
The zoo built a special eight-foot-high enclosure for its newly acquired kangaroo, but the next morning the animal was found hopping around outside. The height of the fence was increased to 15 feet, but the kangaroo got out again. Exasperated, the zo...
While on vacation in San Francisco, my sister developed a toothache. The hotel desk clerk recommended a dentist. Susan, who dislikes heights, was horrified to discover that she was located on the 14th floor of a skyscraper, with two of the office wal...
I was the new coach of a Little League baseball team and had not yet learned the names of my players. At our first game, I called each boy by the number on his uniform. When I yelled,Number5, your time to bat, Jeff Smith came to the plate to hit. Whe...
Frequent hand-washing in my job as a medical technologist and the harsh Alaskan weather combined to give me very dry skin. One night as I prepared for bed, I rubbed my hands with petroleum jelly and covered them with a pair of old white gloves. As I...
My husband asked me to go to the post office to mail his resume in anticipation of a job interview. He instructed me to send it the fastest way possible. Struck by the urgency in his voice, I grabbed a handful of change and dashed out the door. Arriv...
A teacher was always so involved in the text being studied that he never looked up . He would call on a student for translation and explanation, and-without realizing it-he often chose the same student day after day. Out of respect, the student would...
My cooking has always been the target of family jokes. One evening, as I prepared dinner a bit too quickly, the kitchen filled with smoke and the smoke detector went off. Although both of my children had received fire-safety training at school, they...
A friend of mine noticed a man staggering about in the Times Square subway station. A well-dressed Wall Street type, his coat was unbuttoned, a briefcase dangled from his hand and he'd obviously had one too many. Asked if he was all right, the man ga...
While in Korea, Gov. Mike Smith of Utah was relaxing in the VIP lounge the Seoul airport, awaiting his flight to Japan. At the same moment , his press secretary, Jenny Varela, was being told at the ticket counter that she had no ticket. After insisti...
