An old
country preacher had a teenage son, and it was getting time the boy should give
some thought to choosing a profession.
Like many young men his age, the boy
didn't really know what he wanted to do, and he didn't seem too concerned about
it.
One day, while the boy was away at school, his father decided to try an
experiment. He went into the boy's room and placed on his study table four
objects:
1. A Bible.
2. A silver
dollar.
3. A bottle
of whiskey.
4. A
Playboy magazine.
'I'll just hide behind the door," the old preacher said to himself. "When he comes home from school today, I'll see which object he picks up."
"If
it's the Bible, he's going to be a preacher like me, and what a blessing that
would be!
"If he
picks up the dollar, he's going to be a business man, and that would be okay,
too.
"But
if he picks up the bottle, he's going to be a no-good drunken bum, and Lord,
what a shame that would be.
"And
worst of all if he picks up that magazine he's going to be a skirt-chasing
womanizer."
The old man
waited anxiously, and soon heard his son's foot-steps as he entered the house
whistling and heading for his room.
The boy tossed his books on the bed, and as
he turned to leave the room he spotted the objects on the table. With curiosity
in his eye, he walked over to inspect them.
Finally, he
picked up the Bible and placed it under his arm. He picked up the silver dollar
and dropped into his pocket. He uncorked the bottle and took a big drink, while
he admired the magazine's centerfold.
"Lord
have mercy," the old preacher disgustedly whispered.
"He's gonna run
for Congress."
