It was nearly seven o'clock, when a man walked into a bar, ordered a drink and turned to watch the television.
The seven o'clock news was on and it was showing a man standing on top of a tall building. He was looking down at the crowd of people below.
On the ground, a police officer with a megaphone(扩音器)was trying to tell him not to jump.
"Let's talk about your problem," the police officer was saying. "Perhaps we can help you."
The man turned to the bartender(酒吧侍者)and said, "I bet you a hundred dollars he doesn't jump.
The bartender looked at him. "You're offering me a hundred dollars if he jumps? Is that right?"
"Yes. I don't think he'll jump."
The bartender smiled. "OK. You've got a bet."
The man turned back to the TV and watched it carefully. The bartender, however, did not seem to be very interested. He continued washing glasses and serving the other customers.
Then, after about five minutes, the man on the building threw himself off the building and fell to the ground.
The man in the bar turned to the bartender.
"He jumped," he said. "You win."
He held out a hundred dollar bill to the bartender, but the bartender would not take it.
"I can't take your money," he said. "I knew I couldn't lose. That story was on the six o'clock news. I saw him jump."
"Well, yes, so did I," the man said, "but I didn't think he'd do such a stupid thing twice."