Rudy had a pet elephant. He had raised it from a calf and was very attached to it. Now that it was grown the feeding costs were threatening to send him to the poor house. A second job was not enough to cover the costs of a pet elephant. He was afraid he was going to have to give up his beloved pet, then a money making scheme came to him.
He had seen elephants raise one leg in the air. He had seen elephants raise two feet. At the circus he had even seen one stand on one leg and raise three feet in the air…but he had never seen an elephant with all four feet in the air at the same time.
So Rudy would offer $10,000 to anybody that could get his elephant to raise all four feet in the air…but it would cost $100 to try.
He put up posters locally; he advertised in the newspapers, he went on-line and advertised there.
The word was spread. People started showing up from far and wide. They tried everything. They tried levitation. They tried meditation. They tried begging. They tried bribing. People came…people failed.
Things were going well for Rudy. His elephant was eating well.
Then one day a little blue car pulled up. Out stepped a little old man. He asked Rudy, “you will give me $10,000 if I can get your elephant to raise all four feet at the same time?” Rudy answered,” Yes, it will cost you $100 to try.”
The man gave Rudy a new $100 bill. He walked to his car and took out the tire iron. He walked to the elephant and stared into its eyes for several minutes without saying a word. He started to walk around the elephant. When he was directly behind it he hauled off and whacked its balls hard as he could with the iron.
The elephant let out a scream and leapt into the air, all four of his feet in the air. The little man collected his money and drove off in his little blue car.
Now Rudy had little of his scheme money left and his elephant was still eating. He was to the point of having to give up his pet again. Then it came to him. He had seen elephants move their heads up and down, but he had never seen one move its head from side to side. So again he advertised. $10,000 if you could get his elephant to move his head from side to side. It would cost $100 to try.
Again people started coming. Again all failed.
Rudy was doing well and his elephant not wanting for food.
Then one day up drove the little blue car. Out stepped the little old man. He walked up to Rudy and handed him a new $100 bill. He opened his trunk and took out the tire iron. He walked up to the elephant and starred into its eyes for a minute or two. The he spoke, “do you remember me?” The elephant nodded his head up and down. “Do you want me to do it again?”
Quickly, the elephant shook his head, side to side.