The Assistant Pastor
In France, the young assistant pastors do not live in the main
rectory. That is reserved for the Pastor and his housekeeper. One day
the pastor invited his new young assistant pastor to have dinner at
the rectory. While being served, the young pastor noticed how shapely
and lovely the housekeeper was and down deep in his heart he wondered
if there was more between the pastor and the housekeeper.
After the meal was over, the middle-aged pastor assured the young
priest that everything was purely professional...that she was the
housekeeper and cook and that was that. About a week later the
housekeeper came to the pastor and said, "Father, ever since the new
assistant came for dinner I have not been able to find the beautiful
silver gravy ladle. You don't suppose he took it, do you?" The Pastor
said, "Well, I doubt it but I'll write him a letter." So he sat down
and wrote, "Dear Father, I'm not saying you did take the gravy ladle
and I'm not saying you did not take the gravy ladle. But the fact
remains that it has been missing since you were here for dinner."
The young assistant received the letter and he answered it as follows:
"Dear Father Pastor, I'm not saying that you do sleep with the
housekeeper and I'm not saying that you do not sleep with the
housekeeper. But I do know for sure that if you slept in your own bed
you would find the gravy ladle."