Tainted Gold

(An elderly couple comes up to the public desk at a newspaper office.)

Wife: “I’d like to put in an announcement about our 50th anniversary.”

Me: “How wonderful that you and your husband have been together for so long! It’s very sad that my generation doesn’t seem to put as much work into staying married as yours did.”

(She looks sourly at her husband, sitting over in the corner immersed in a magazine, then back at me.)

Wife: “Well, it’s because you young ladies today are educated and can do for yourselves. You don’t have to put up with the s*** I’ve had to for 50 years!”

(I shut right up, and tell her the announcement will be in the Sunday paper.)