NASA was
interviewing professionals to be sent to Mars. Only one
could go -- and couldn’t return to Earth.
The first applicant, an engineer, was asked how much he
wanted to be paid for going. “A million dollars,” he
answered, “because I want to donate it to M.I.T.”
The next applicant, a doctor, was asked the same question.
He asked for $2 million. “I want to give a million to my
family,” he explained, “and leave the other million for the
advancement of medical research.”
The last applicant was a lawyer. When asked how much money
he wanted, he whispered in the interviewer’s ear, “Three
million dollars.”
“Why so much more than the others?” asked the interviewer.
The lawyer replied, “If you give me $3 million, I’ll give
you $1 million, I’ll keep $1 million, and we’ll send the
engineer to Mars.” |
