A man went to an insurance office to have his life insured. The manager of the office asked him how old his parents were when they died.
“Mother had a bad heart and died at the age of thirty. Father died of tuberculosis when he was thirty-five.”
“I am very sorry,”said the manager,“we cannot insure your life as your parents were not healthy.”
As the man was leaving the office, depressed, he met a clerk, who had overheard the conversation.
“You must not be so frank and tell the truth,”said the clerk,“no office will insure you if you speak like that. Use your imagination a little.”
The man went to another office and was shown into the manager's room.
“Well, young man, how old were your parents when they died?”
“Mother was ninety-three, and she died from a fall off her bicycle. Father was ninety-eight and he died while he was playing football.”