#438
Early one morning, a man walked into church. It was mostly empty, and the service yet to start, so he took his time hedging out a place to sit. It was this that led him to notice the newcomer, another young man in rumpled, warm-colored slacks and shirt.
He was muttering, crouched at the altar with tears in his eyes. "Ah jeez, I beg of you, forgive meh! It is sure as 2 + 2 having worked it, but how else would I have known? The root of all evil is not that square, and certainly far more comp—"
The first man removed his derby and walked up, curious at the gravity of the mathematician's impromptu speech. "For what blaspheme do you repent?"
"Well it is not exactly that...," he said.
"Have you stolen from the village store?"
"Why no, sir!" The suggestion seemed to surprise him. "Still, this is distressing..."
The man scratched his head, wondering what it could be. After all, he didn't figure the guy got out enough to cause any real trouble.
"Have you... forsaken your wife... for God's natural log?"
"Heavens forbid! No, no. Quite a mind you have—I don't even have a wife. But I suppose it is a dark discovery of sorts..." The mathematician grimaced, hoping the man should get it. But understandably, he had no clue.
"Then, whyfor the rains of remorse?"
"Oy! 'cos tan is a sin!"
He was muttering, crouched at the altar with tears in his eyes. "Ah jeez, I beg of you, forgive meh! It is sure as 2 + 2 having worked it, but how else would I have known? The root of all evil is not that square, and certainly far more comp—"
The first man removed his derby and walked up, curious at the gravity of the mathematician's impromptu speech. "For what blaspheme do you repent?"
"Well it is not exactly that...," he said.
"Have you stolen from the village store?"
"Why no, sir!" The suggestion seemed to surprise him. "Still, this is distressing..."
The man scratched his head, wondering what it could be. After all, he didn't figure the guy got out enough to cause any real trouble.
"Have you... forsaken your wife... for God's natural log?"
"Heavens forbid! No, no. Quite a mind you have—I don't even have a wife. But I suppose it is a dark discovery of sorts..." The mathematician grimaced, hoping the man should get it. But understandably, he had no clue.
"Then, whyfor the rains of remorse?"
"Oy! 'cos tan is a sin!"
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