An Irishman named O'Malley went to his doctor after a long
illness. The
doctor, after a lengthy examination, sighed and looked O'Malley in
the eye,
and said, "I've some bad news for you. You have cancer, and it
can't be
cured. I'd give you two weeks to a month to live."
O'Malley was shocked and saddened by the news but was of solid
character. He
managed to compose himself and walk from the doctor's office into
the
waiting room.
There, he saw his son who had been waiting. O'Malley said,
"Well, son. We
Irish celebrate when things are good, and we celebrate when things
don't go
so well. In this case, things aren't so well. I have cancer, and
I've been
given a short time to live. Let's head for the pub and have a few
pints."
After 3 or 4 pints, the two were feeling a little less somber. There
were
some laughs and more beers. They were eventually approached by some
of
O'Malley's old friends who asked what the two were celebrating.
O'Malley
told them that the Irish celebrate the good and the bad. He went on
to tell
them that they were drinking to his impending end. He told his
friends,
"I've only got a few weeks to live as I have been diagnosed
with AIDS." The
friends gave O'Malley their condolences, and they had a couple more
beers.
After his friends left, O'Malley's son leaned over and whispered his
confusion. "Dad, I thought you said that you were dying from
cancer! You
just told your friends that you were dying from AIDS!"
O'Malley said, "I am dying of cancer, son. I just don't want
any of them
sleeping with your mother after I'm gone."