Once there were three sons — Milton, Marvin and Melvin. When the boys came of age, they each left home, went out on their own, and prospered.
Later in life they returned to reunite in the planning of their mom’s 75th birthday, and they each tried to outdo each other with an extravagant gift for Mom.
The first son, Milton, said, “For Mom’s birthday, I bought her a Mercedes Benz limousine and hired a chauffeur so that she can go wherever she wants and not have to worry about driving.”
The second son, Marvin, said, “I’m going to build Mom a huge house. No not a house, a mansion.”
The third son, Marvin, said with a smile, “I’ve got you both beat. You know how Mom enjoys the Bible, and how she can’t read very well anymore because of her eyesight? Well, I found this parrot that is able to recite the entire Bible. The parrot was trained by a team of monks over the course of twelve years; all I had to do was pledge $100,000 a year for ten years, and the parrot is Mom’s! With the parrot, all she has to do is tell it chapter & verse, and the parrot will recite it for her.”
Mom’s 75th birthday came and went, the gifts were received, and a thank you card was sent out to each son soon thereafter. The first thank you card went to her first son: “Milton: The house you built is much too big for me. I live in only one room but I have to clean the whole thing.”
The second card went to the second son, and read, “Marvin: I’m too old to travel much; I stay home all the time, so I never use the limousine. And the driver was so rude I fired him.”
And on the third card; “Dearest Melvin: You were the only son to have the good sense to know what your mother likes. That chicken you sent me was delicious.”