The Deaf Worker

A worker goes to the hospital to visit his boss. Over the years, the worker has become deaf, but since he’s afraid his deafness might cost him his job, he tries to hide it from his boss. Before meeting him, he prepares his visit, silently rehearsing the following dialogue:

“How are you doing, sir?” I will ask.
“Very well, thank you,” he’ll reply.
“That’s great! And what have you been eating?” I’ll continue.
“Fruit,” he’ll respond, since he’s sick.
“Who is your doctor?” I’ll ask very courteously.
“The best,” he’ll affirm, after which I’ll take my leave with another word or two.

Once he arrives at the hospital, the worker has the following conversation with his boss:

“How are you doing, sir?” asks the worker.
“I’m dying!” replies the boss.
“Ah! Praise God. And what have you been eating?”
“Poison!”
“I hope you’ve been enjoying it! Who’s your doctor?”
“The angel of death!”
“Well that’s great!”

Quite often we’re deaf to what people say to us. Without listening to others we anticipate their response and think we’re communicating. It’s important not to attribute a response to someone when it’s not their own, because the reply we’ll receive won’t be the one we expected.
It’s for this very reason that some people are suddenly abandoned when talking to others. They end up surprised at what’s happened to them and think, “I’ve been abandoned!”
Actually, we can just as easily tell them: “Not at all. In fact it was you who chased the other person away.”

The Wisdom of Jokes, by Jodoroswky.
Translated by zkot pen.
March 9, 2005. Copyright ©2002-2005 by Claymont Publishing Company.

Furiously taken from lechantier.com