The human condition as a joke

A man walked into a Aimee’s and ordered three egg crèmes from the barista and went to sit at a far corner table and when the barista brought him his drinks, he drank them all down slowly.

This happened without fail week after week.

The barista finally suggested that she could bring him an egg crème one at a time, each time he finished one, she would bring the next one fresh, with the fizz still in it.

Oh no, the man replied, you don’t understand. Two close friends of mine moved far away and we agreed that once a week we would have a drink, symbolically of course, together.

This went on for many weeks more until one day the man walked in, went up to the barista and ordered only two egg crèmes and went to sit at his usual table.

The barista and the regulars who had come to know the story of the man and his absent friends were distressed and finally agreed that something should be said.

When the barista took over the two egg crèmes, she said to the man, we’re all terribly sorry for the loss of your friend.

Oh no, the man replied, you don’t understand. My friends are both in good health. I’ve been gaining a little weight and I decided I needed to cut out my weekly egg crème.