Sent: Friday, December 03, 1999 11:12 PM
Subject: Gravy Ladle
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>  ( \
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>   / /                 /\          ??? Paul McCarthy ???
>  / /     .-`````-.   / ^`-.
>  \ \    /         \_/  {|} `o     Who the heck is that?
>   \ \  /   .---.   \\ _  ,--'
>    \ \/   /     \,  \( `^^^
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>       ) /__ \__  ) (\ \___
>      (___)))__))(__))(__)))>

> In France, the young assistant pastors do not live in
> the main rectory.  That is reserved for the Pastor and his housekeeper.

> One day the pastor invited his new young assistant pastor
> to have    dinner at the rectory.  While being served,
> the young pastor noticed how shapely and lovely the
> housekeeper was and he wondered...

> After the meal was over, the middle-aged pastor assured
> the young priest that everything was purely professional
> and that she was the housekeeper and cook and that was that.

> About a week later the housekeeper came to the pastor and
> said, "Father, ever since the new assistant came for dinner,
> I have not been able to find the beautiful silver gravy ladle.
> You don't suppose he took it, do you?">

> The Pastor said, " Well, I doubt it but I'll write him a
> letter."  So he wrote, "Dear Father, I'm not saying that you
> did take the gravy ladle and I'm not saying you did not take
> the gravy ladle.  But the fact remains that it has been missing
> since you were here for dinner.">

> The young assistant received the letter and he answered it as
> follows:  "Dear Father Pastor, I'm not saying that you do sleep
> with the housekeeper and I'm not saying that you do not sleep
> with the housekeeper.  But I do know for sure that if you slept
> in your own bed,... you would have found the gravy ladle by now!"
>