It's a slow day in the town and the streets are deserted. Times are tough, everybody is in debt, and everybody is living on credit.
A tourist visiting the area drives through the town, stops at a hotel, and lays a $100 bill on the desk saying he wants to inspect the rooms upstairs to pick one for the night. As soon as he walks upstairs, the hotel owner grabs the $100 and runs next door to pay his debt to the butcher.
(now... pay attention)
The butcher takes the $100 bill and runs down the street to repay his debt to the pig farmer. The pig farmer takes the $100 and heads off to pay his bill to his feed supplier.
The guy at the supplier takes the $100 and runs to pay his debt to the local prostitute, who has also been facing hard times and has had to offer her "services" on credit.
Now, the hooker rushes to the hotel and pays off her room bill with the hotel owner.
The hotel proprietor then places the $100 back on the counter so the traveller will not suspect anything.
At that moment the traveller comes back down the stairs, stating that the rooms are not satisfactory, picks up the $100 bill and leaves.
No one produced anything and no one earned anything!
However... the whole village now thinks that they are out of debt and there is a false atmosphere of optimism and glee!
Reply With Quote