There was a small town that the shamash at the cloister retired and there was no one to ring the bells.
The galach could not find someone local to do the job so he put an advertisement in the NYT classified for the position.
With the economy in the shape it is, and so many people out of jobs, there was a big turn out for the job.
To select the appropriate individual, the galach decided to have try outs to see how well the applicant rings the bells.
One after the other they tried, nobody could make a decent ring, they were either off key or could only produce a thin quavering sound. The galach was getting desperate.
One day a fellow without arms shows up and says ” I want the job”.
The galach looks at him and says ” how are you going to ring the bells, you have no arms?”
The fellow says “let me show you” with that he climbs up the steeple to the roof of the building, takes two steps back and runs head first right into the bells. Lo and behold, the most beautiful, loud, carrying tone rings forth. Everyone in town steps out and to enjoy the tone.
The galach tells the fellow “you’re hired”.
And so it went for a few weeks, every morning and on the hour throughout the day the new bell ringer would run straight into the bell to ring it.
One cold morning there was apparently black ice on the roof, when he backed up to start his run, the bell ringer slipped and fell to his death.
The police came to investigate and they asked the galach, “what was his name?”
The galach answered, “I don’t know, but his face sure rings a bell!!!”
Anyway the galach needed a new ringer again so he put an ad in the paper and lo and behold what should occur, another person without arms applies for the position.
The galach asks him, ” how are you going to ring the bell?”
Well the same thing happens, he climbs up to the roof, takes a few steps back and runs into the bells. With the same results, a beautiful tone peals out.
The galach says “you’re hired. But I have to tell you the most amazing thing, our previous ringer was also a person without arms, I never imagined that this would be so common.”
The new bell ringer replies ” truth is, it’s not common, however, the previous ringer was my brother and I am doing this in his honor”
The new ringer is doing this for several weeks, when he too slips on something and falls to his death.
The police come and ask the galach, do you know the person’s name.
The galach answers “no, but he is a dead ringer for his brother.”
GROAN
Two for the price of one.
Oomis, the problem was that they did not have regular appointments with their chiropractor. 🙂