STATE JOKES VI

NEW YORK

From Reader's Digest

Contributed by Dan Anderson

 

   Carpenters from California, Missouri, and New York showed up at the White House for a tour. The chief guard welcomed them with special enthusiasm because the front gates were in need of repair. He asked each carpenter to come up with a bid. The California carpenter measured and figured and finally said, " Well, $400 for materials, $400 for my crew, and $100 profit for me, $900 total." The guard nodded and turned to the carpenter from Missouri.

   That man took out his tape measure and a pencil, and after some calculating said, "It'll cost $700 - $300 each for materials and my crew, and $100 profit for me." The guard thanked the man and turned to the carpenter from New York.

   Without hesitation, the New Yorker said, "This job will run $2,700."

   The guard gasped. "You didn't even measure or do any calculating," he replied. "How do you figure it'll be so expensive?"

   "Simple," said the New York carpenter. "1,000 for me, $1,000 for you, and we hire the guy from Missouri."