Moishe the Carpenter was walking home one evening with his week’s wages safely tucked into his pocket.

The street was deserted.

Then, from the shadows, an armed robber stepped in front of him.

“Hand over your money!”

Moishe looked at the gun, sighed, and slowly reached into his pocket.

“Take my money,” said Moishe, “but do me a favour: shoot a bullet through my hat otherwise my wife won’t believe I was robbed.”

The robber stared at him.

It was an unusual request, but he shrugged.

Moishe tossed his hat into the air.

BANG!

A bullet went straight through it.

Moishe examined the hole.

“Excellent. But there’s another problem.”

The robber frowned.

“Let’s make it look as if I ran into a gang of robbers,” said Moishe, “otherwise my wife will call me a coward! Please shoot a number of holes through my coat.”

The robber rolled his eyes but agreed.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Several holes appeared in Moishe’s coat.

Moishe looked himself over thoughtfully.

“And now?”

“Sorry,” interrupted the robber.

“No more holes.

I’m out of bullets.”

Moishe’s expression immediately changed.

He straightened up, rolled his shoulders, and stepped toward the robber.

“That’s all I wanted to know!” said Moishe.

“Now hand me back my money and some more for the hat and coat that you’ve ruined or I’ll beat you black and blue!”

The robber threw down the money and ran.