Ten Minutes Late

In a brand new job and in a brand new town
A young man named George started working
A group of his fellow employees always met 
For a round of golf every Saturday morning 
After finding out that George was a golfer
He was asked if he could make the golf date
George replied that he would love to play
But that he might well be ten minutes late
On Saturday morning he was there at ten 
He played right handed and won the play 
Next week George says that he will be there
But he may be ten minutes late on the day 
He shows up right on time and proceeded 
To play golf left handed, and win the round
This continues for a fair number of weeks 
He may be ten minutes late on the ground
But without fail always turns up on time
And then wins playing with either hand 
The other players are getting fed up with this 
And an explanation for this they all demand
"George, every Saturday you say you may be 
Ten minutes late, but are never late to begin 
“Then you play either right or left handed”
“And despite this” they said, “you always win?”
"I’m superstitious so every Saturday I wake up 
I look over at my wife in the first morning light 
If she sleeps on her left side, I play left-handed
If she’s sleeping on her right side, I play right" 
They absorbed this information with disbelief
"Well," one of the men said “ tell us straight” 
"What happens if she is laying on her back?"
George replies, "Then I‘m ten minutes late."


Paul Curtis