John was a clerk in a small drugstore, but he was not
much of a salesman. He could never find the item the
customer wanted. The drugstore owner had had about
enough and warned John that the next sale he missed
would be his last.
Just then a man came in coughing and asked John for
their best cough syrup.
Try as he might John could not find the cough syrup.
Remembering the owner's warning John sold the man a
box of Ex-Lax and instructed him to take the entire
box all at once. The customer immediately consumed
the entire box in the store and then walked outside
and leaned against a lamp post. The drugstore owner
had seen the whole thing and came over to ask John
what had transpired.
"He wanted something for his cough but I couldn't
find the cough syrup. I substituted Ex-Lax and told
him to take it all at once." John explained.
"Ex-Lax won't cure a cough," the owner shouted angrily.
"Sure it will," John said, pointing at the man leaning
on the lamp post.
"Look at him. He's afraid to cough."
