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From: jay@npois.UUCP (Anton Winteroak)
Newsgroups: net.jokes
Subject: village idiot
Message-ID: <157@npois.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 9-Jan-85 15:22:18 EST
Article-I.D.: npois.157
Posted: Wed Jan  9 15:22:18 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 12-Jan-85 00:56:19 EST
Organization: ATTIS, Neptune, NJ
Lines: 14


     Like many towns in New England, my home town had a village idiot, who
was barely able to take care of himself. But he had pride, so rather than
just giving him money to live on, the mayor gave him a job.
     Every day, Footsie was supposed to polish the four brass cannon
at the corners of the green. In return, he would get enough money for
his apartment, some tv dinners, some wine, and a new hat once in a while.
     He did a very good job for about fifteen years. He was proud of his
work, and people always had a good word for him as they passed.
     Then one day, he came into the mayor's office and said "I quit!"
     Stunned, the mayor asked him why he wanted to leave a job that he
was doing so well with, to which Footsie replied, "I've been saving my
money, and I've bought a cannon. Now I'm going into business for myself."