Stumpy and his wife Martha went to the state fair every year.
Every year Stumpy would say, “Martha, I’d like to
ride in that there airplane.”
And every year Martha would say, “I know Stumpy,
but that airplane ride costs ten dollars, and ten
dollars is ten dollars.”
One year Stumpy and Martha went to the fair
and Stumpy said, “Martha, I’m 71 years old.
If I don’t ride that airplane this year I may
never get another chance.”
Martha replied, “Stumpy, that there airplane ride
costs ten dollars, and ten dollars is ten dollars.”
The pilot overheard them and said, “Folks, I’ll
make you a deal, I’ll take you both up for a ride.
If you can stay quiet for the entire ride and not
say one word, I won’t charge you, but if you say
one word it’s ten dollars.”
Stumpy and Martha agreed and up they went.
The pilot did all kinds of twists and turns, rolls
and dives, but not a word was heard.
He did all his tricks over again, but still not a word.
They landed and the pilot turned to Stumpy,
“By golly, I did everything I could think of to get you
to yell out, but you didn’t.”
Stumpy replied, “Well, I was gonna say something
when Martha fell out, but ten dollars is ten dollars.”
