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The $1000 Bet!
A local bar prided itself on having the strongest man in the village behind the counter.
They even had a standing $1000 bet to prove it.
The challenge? The barman would squeeze a lemon until every last drop of juice was gone.
Then, anyone who could squeeze out another drop would win the money.
Weightlifters, arm wrestlers, and other tough guys all tried—and failed.
One day, a scrawny little man walked in. He was barely noticeable,
wearing scratched glasses and a threadbare polyester suit that looked decades old.
“I’d like to take the bet,” he said in a quiet voice.
The bar erupted in laughter, but the barman shrugged and grabbed a fresh lemon.
He squeezed it with all his might until it was just a shriveled rind.
Then, with a smirk, he handed it to the little man.
The bar fell silent as the scrawny man clenched his fist around the lemon.
To everyone’s shock, a single drop of juice fell into the glass.
He squeezed again—another drop.
And then again—a third drop.
The room was stunned. No one could believe their eyes.
The barman, now thoroughly impressed, handed over the $1000 prize.
“Mate, what do you do for a living? Are you a lumberjack? A metalworker? A weightlifter?”
The little man adjusted his glasses and replied with a faint smile, “I’m a tax collector.”
