A man walks into a supermarket in downtown L.A. and heads straight to the produce section.

After looking at the heads of fresh lettuce on display, the customer approaches the store

clerk and asks, "Excuse me. Can I buy half a head of lettuce?"


Shaking his head, the clerk says, "I'm sorry. But we sell those by the whole head."


"But I don't need a whole head, just half. C'mon surely you can accommodate my simple

request," insists the customer.


The clerk just sighs and says, "Okay, tell you what. I'll go over to the supervisor there by the

meat section and ask for his permission. You just wait here."


So the clerk reluctantly goes to the meat section and says to the supervisor, "There's this

really persistent asshole who wants to buy half a head of lettuce." As he turns around to

point the insistent customer out to the supervisor, the clerk finds the customer has followed

him to the meat section and is standing right behind him! Without missing a beat, the clerk

continues, "And this gentleman here wants to buy the other half."


Suppressing his desire to laugh, the supervisor just nods and says, "Fine with me."


After the customer has left with the half a head of lettuce, the supervisor approaches the

clerk and says laughingly, "Man, that was really quick thinking on your part."


"We Filipinos are well-known for being quick thinkers," says the clerk proudly.


"Really? I didn't know you're a Filipino. Were you born in the Philippines?" asks the

supervisor with interest.


"Yep. Born and raised on the streets of Manila. Lived there for twenty years."


"Is that so? Tell me, why did you come to L.A. then? Why did you leave the Philippines?"


Annoyed by the supervisor's line of questioning, the clerk decides to make up a funny

reason just to kid the supervisor. So he says in all seriousness, "Because the people there

are either whores or basketball players."


Although the clerk is just being a smart-ass, the supervisor takes the remark seriously and

suddenly takes offense. With his face reddening, the supervisor says, "Hey! My wife is from

the Philippines, too!"


"Oh really?" asks the clerk quickly. "Is she a point guard or a small forward?"