WHICH WAY DOES THE INFLUENCE FLOW?
I was reminded of an old chestnut by Kit Hoag of Sonoma, CA. A dignified old clergyman owned a parrot of whom he was exceedingly fond, but the bird had picked up an appalling vocabulary of cuss words from a previous owner and, after a series of particularly embarrassing episodes, the clergyman decided he would have to have his parrot “put to sleep.” But a lady in his congregation suggested a last-ditch remedy. She said, “I have a female parrot. She is an absolute saint. She sits quietly on her perch and says nothing except, ‘Let’s pray.’ Why don’t you bring your parrot over and see if my own bird’s good influence doesn’t reform him?” The pastor said it was worth a try, and the next night he arrived with his pet. The bird took one look at the lady parrot and chirped, “Hi Toots, how about a little kiss?” The lady parrot responded gleefully, “My prayers have…
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