Three men are working on a building site.
Everyday, they sit down to eat their lunch together at the top of the building.
The first man opens his lunchbox to reveal a ham sandwich.
āBy god,ā the man exclaims, āI hate ham sandwiches. Iāve been working in construction for twenty years, and everyday, despite me telling her how much I despise it, my wife gives me a ham sandwich. If I get a ham sandwich in my lunch again, I will throw myself off the top of this building and kill myself.ā
The second man opens his lunchbox, revealing a cheese sandwich.
āHoly crow, another cheese sandwich! I hate these things, I tell you. Everyday, I tell my wife how much I despise cheese sandwiches, but I still get them in my lunch. Iām with you buddyāif I ever get a cheese sandwich in my lunch again, Iām killing myself.ā
The third man, having opened his lunchbox, now pipes in.
āI donāt believe itāanother tuna sandwich! If I had a penny for every time Iāve told my wife how much I hate these, I wouldnāt have to work on this sordid site no more! Iām sick of itācount me in, if I get a tuna sandwich in my lunchbox again, Iām killing myself.ā
The next day, the three men regroup at the top of the building and open their lunchboxes: the first man ā a ham sandwich, the second ā a cheese sandwich, the third ā a tuna sandwich.
The three men exchange solemn looks before jumping in unison from the height of the building.
At the funeral for the three men, their grieving wives turn to each other.
āIf only Iād known how much he didnāt like ham sandwiches,ā says the first manās wife, āI always thought he was being ironic!ā
āAnd if only Iād known how much he didnāt like cheese sandwiches,ā says the second manās wife, āI always thought he was being sarcastic!ā
āAnd if only Iād known how much he didnāt like tuna sandwiches,ā says the third manās wife, ābut I donāt know what good it would have doneāthe fool made his own lunch!ā