At
a hospital the relatives gathered in the waiting room, where
their family member lay gravely ill. Finally, the doctor
came in looking tired and somber.
Surveying the worried faces, the doctor said: "I'm
afraid I'm the bearer of bad news. The only hope left for
your loved one at this time is a brain transplant. It's
an experimental procedure, very risky, a you will have to
pay for the brain yourselves."
The family members sat silent as they absorbed the news.
After a great length of time, someone asked, "Well,
how much does a brain cost?"
The doctor quickly responded, "$5,000 for a male brain,
and $200 for a female brain."
The moment turned awkward. Men in the room tried not to
smile, avoiding eye contact with the women, but some actually
smirked. One man, unable to control his curiosity, blurted
out the question everyone wanted to ask, "Why is the
male brain so much more expensive?"
The doctor smiled at the childish innocence and said to
the entire group, "It's just standard pricing procedure.
We have to mark down the price of the female brains, because
they've been used."
