A guy named Pete gets a job as a switchman with the railroad, and undergoes weeks of training. The supervisor then takes him into the switch booth to test his readiness. The following exchange takes place:
Supervisor: “Imagine you were sitting here alone and you learned there was a train coming from the North on that track, and another coming from the South on the same track. What would you do?”
Pete: “I'd throw this switch right here and put one train on the other track.”
Supervisor: And what if that switch didn't work?”
Pete: “I'd go down to the track and throw that big switch lever there, putting one train on the other track.”
Supervisor: “And what if that switch lever didn't work?”
Pete: “Then I'd come back here and call the dispatcher to stop both trains.”
Supervisor: “And what if the phone didn't work?”
Pete: “Then I'd go to that gas station across the street and use their phone.”
Supervisor: “And what if their phone didn't work?”
Pete: “Then I'd go get Uncle Joe.”
Supervisor: “Uncle Joe? What would he do?”
Pete: “Nothing, but he ain't never seen a train wreck.”
