A Cardiologist came up with a new operating procedure that would cut down the time that heart surgery would take and would cause less trauma to the patient. He was praised by his peers when he presented it at a convention in Washington D.C. He was also paid $50,000 to present his findings.
The cardiologist did a few more of these presentations and realized that it would be more lucrative to do lectures on his findings rather than continue to work as a surgeon. So he decided to do the lectures full-time. He hired a driver and purchased a limousine.
One day, after he'd been doing the lecture circuit for about 6 months, his driver turns to him and says, “You know… This is completely unfair.”
“What do you mean?” asks the surgeon.
“Well, you get paid $50,000 every time you do this lecture and that's more than I get paid in a year,” replies the driver.
The surgeon explains to him that it is a very complicated procedure and that he is the only person that can give this lecture.
“That's not true. I can do your lecture blindfolded. I have seen you do your lecture so many times that I know it by heart,” says the driver.
“Well if that's the case, I'll tell you what. You do this lecture and you can keep the $50,000 if you do it right.” replies the surgeon.
The driver replies, “Ok. You're on.”
So when they arrive at the lecture hall, the surgeon and the driver change coats and the surgeon puts on the driver's hat and sits in the back of the room.
The driver nails the presentation. Not only that, he also answers all the questions without any problems. Just when the driver thinks he's done, an audience member, wearing a lab coat and tape covered glasses stands up and asks a complex question that the driver is not able to answer.
“You know…” says the driver, “I have done this lecture 287 times and I have never been asked such a stupid question. As a matter of fact, that question is SO stupid that I am going to let my driver answer it.”
