2+2?

Date in my archives: 11-Oct-95

Forwarded with subject: 2+2?

Sammy came home from first grade with his first homework assignment, which was to find the answer to "what is 2 + 2?".

He went to his father first because he was a mathematician. His dad said, "That seems to be from the theory of small sets, which I haven't used in a long time. I suspect that the answer is greater than 3, and will not exceed 5, even for extremely large values of 2. I'll write it in Fortran and run it through the computer at the college in the morning. Sammy shook his head and went outside to think.

His neighbor, the internist, was working in the yard. Sammy went over and asked, "Mr. Smith, what is 2 + 2?" Smith thought a while and then said, "I think it is 4, but we should run some tests, first. Can you make an appointment to see me at the office tommorrow and don't forget to bring your HMO card".

Sammy wasn't satisfied and he walked over to the other neighbor's house, where he (a lawyer) was washing his BMW. Sammy said, "Mr. Jones, what is 2 + 2?" Jones said, "My boy, since you are my little friend and neighbor, I will waive my usual consultation fee, this is strictly Pro Bono. But, be assured that justice will be served and the rights of the citizen to know will be upheld". Then he knelt down and wispered in Sammy's ear. "Sammy, what would you like it to be?"