Fifty Dollars is Fifty Dollars

Brother Tonto and the Prior enjoyed walking around the fair grounds. Every time they went,they found themselves in front of the airplane ride. Brother Tonto would wistfully read the sign, "Fifty Dollars a ride". The pilot explained that he'd fly over the neighborhood and your home--in their case, the priory. But the prior would say "Fifty Dollars!"

And Brother Tonto would explain, "The experience would be priceless."

The Prior, was aghast. "Fifty Dollars! Do you know what fifty dollars could buy? It would feed us for a week. We could pay a bill. We could help the poor. We could buy some books. Yadayadayadayadayad........"

Every year, the pilot would relive this same scenario.

"Fifty Dollars! Do you know what fifty dollars could by? It would feed us. We could pay some bills. We could help the poor. We could buy some books. We could get the plumbing fixed. We could send money to Father Tom's Kids. Yadayadayadayadayad........"

This year, however, when the pilot saw the friars approaching, he made an offer that the friars, (especially the parsimonious prior), couldn't refuse. "I'll make a bet with you."

"Eh?"

The pilot said, "I'll fly you both free, if the prior won't speak--during the entire time."

The friars were sure to win. After all, they lived in silence. Mostly. Some of the time. Well, the prior was sure he could remain silent. Sure. This wasn't even a gamble; the prior would win.

Up they went. Brother Tonto pointed out the priory and the pilot flew all around it. It was awesome. The scenery was spectacular. God is awesome.

But the prior hadn't said a word. He was sitting in back and was silent during the tour of the neighborhood, the priory, and fairgrounds.

The pilot was beginning to worry that he was going to be out Fifty Dollars. So he did some aerobatic maneuvers. He did some spins over the fair. No sound from the back. He looped over the priory. It was quiet. He was rolling over the river when he noticed that Brother Tonto was turning green. Still no word from the prior. The pilot also noticed that he was low on fuel.

The pilot had no choice, but to land. As he was taxiing to a stop, the pilot remarked that he was very surprised that the prior could keep his mouth closed, this long.

"The Prior?" Brother Tonto's voice went up. "Oh, he fell out during your spin over the river."

"What!" The pilot was aghast. "Brother Tonto, why didn't you say something?"

"Well, because..." Brother Tonto spoke from memory. "Fifty dollars is fifty dollars. Do you know what fifty dollars could buy...........................................?"