I have a friend Pat from Ireland went into the local market to apply for a job.
The boss thought to himself, “I’m not hiring that lazy swine”, so he decided to set a test for our emerald hero hoping he wouldn’t be able to answer the questions and he’d be able to refuse him the job without getting into an argument.
The first question was, “Without using numbers, represent the number 9.”
Pat says, “Dat’s easy” and proceeds to draw three trees.
The boss says, “What in the world is that?”
Pat says, “Tree ’n tree ’n tree makes nine.”
“Fair enough” says the boss.
“Second question, same rules, but represent 99”.
Pat stares into space for a while, then makes a smudge on each tree. “Der ya go boy,” he says.
The boss scratches his head and asks, “How on earth do you get that to represent 99?”
Pat answers, “Oh b’Jaisus it’s so easy look each tree is dirty now, so it’s dirty tree ’n dirty tree ’n dirty tree - dat’s 99.”
The boss is getting worried he’s going to have to hire Pat so he says, “All right, question number 3. Same rules again, but this time represent the number 100.”
Pat stares into space again, then he shouts, “Sweet mother of Mary i’ve got it!” He makes a little mark at the base of each tree and says, “Der ya go sir -100.”
The boss looks at Pat’s attempt and thinks, “Ha! got him this time.”
He then tells him, “Go on, the paddy, you must be crazy if you think that represents a 100.”
Pat leans forward and points to the little marks at the tree bases and says, “A little dog comes along and craps near the base of each tree, so now ya got dirty tree an’ a turd, dirty tree an’ a turd, and dirty tree an’ a turd, which makes 100. When do I start me job?”
