Preventing a cold

Miss Bee was in her eighties, and much admired for her sweetness and kindness to all.

The Pastor came to call on her one spring afternoon and she welcomed him into her Victorian parlor. She invited him to have a seat while she prepared a little tea for her guest. As he sat facing her old pump organ, the young minister noticed a glass bowl of water sitting on top of it. The bowl was filled with water and floating in it, of all things, was a condom! Imagine the pastor’s shock at such a sight, imagine his curiosity! Surely Miss Bee had flipped or something, but he certainly couldn’t mention the strange sight in her parlor.

When she returned with tea and cookies, they began to chat and the pastor tried to stifle his curiosity. But the bowl of water and its strange floater soon got the better of him and he could resist any longer. “Miss Bee”, he said, “I wonder if you would tell me about this.” (pointing to the bowl) “Oh yes,” she replied, “Isn’t it wonderful? I was walking downtown last fall and found this little package on the sidewalk. It said to put it on the organ and keep it wet, and it would prevent disease.

And you know, I think it’s working! I haven’t had a cold all winter.”