Patrick went into his favorite pub in Dublin and ordered 3 pints of Guinness, to be served all at the same time. The bartender put the three pints in front of him, and he took a little sip out of one, put it down; then took a little sip out of the second, put it down; and then took a little sip out of the third. He put it down, went back to the first pint, and started the process all over again, until he had drunk all three pints.
Then he paid the bartender and left.
This went on for months, every night the same thing. Finally, the bartender cannot stand it any longer, and he approaches Pat.
“Patrick”, he says.
“Aye”, says Patrick.
“I’ve been watching you come in here for months. Every night you order the same thing. Three pints. All at once. Then, instead of drinking them one at a time, you take a little sip out of each one until you eventually finish all three. Then, you just leave. I have never seen anything like that. I don’t want to be prying into your personal affairs; but, if you wouldn’t mind telling me, WHY?”
“Well, you know me brothers Michael and John moved to New York”.
“Aye”.
“Well, I promised me brothers that I would have a pint every night in our favorite pub, just like in the old days, in remembrance of the time when we were together. So, that’s what I do each night. Me and my brothers are having a drink together. Do ya’ understand now?”
“Aye”.
This goes on for years. In fact, Patrick becomes rather famous in the pub for it. Finally, the time comes when Patrick orders only two pints. He drinks them the same way and leaves, but everybody knows something is terribly wrong. After a few weeks, nobody can stand it anymore, so they ask the bartender to approach Patrick about it.
So, the bartender approaches Pat and asks, “Patrick?”
“Aye”, says Patrick.
“I understand there has been a tragedy in your family”.
“WHAT, What tragedy??”
“Well, one of your brothers died recently, I understand”.
“What!!!! Me brothers are fine, never healthier. Why would you think something happened to one of me brothers??”
“Well, you always used to drink three pints, every night; and all of a sudden you started drinking only two pints. We assumed that something happened to one of your brothers.”
“Noooo… me brothers is fine. It’s just that the doctor said I had to take better care of myself, so I decided to quit drinking.”