A
woman named Judy
brings a very limp duck, Cuddles,
into her veterinarians office.
Judy
lays the duck on the table and Nicki
the Vet pulls out her stethoscope and listens to the birds
chest for a minute.
Nicki
the Vet shakes her head and says "I'm sorry, your duck,
Cuddles, has passed away."
Judy
was very distressed and wailed "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure. That duck
is dead," replied Nicki
the Vet
"How can you be so sure?"
Judy
protested. "He
might just be in a coma or something. You haven't even done any tests
for that."
Nicki
the Vet rolled her eyes but turned and left the room.
Two
minutes later she's back with a huge Black Labrador Retriever.
Judy
watches in amazement as the dog stands on his hind legs, puts his front
paws on the examining table and sniffs the duck from top to bottom. He
looks at Nicki
the Vet with sad eyes and solemnly shakes his head. Nicki
the Vet pats the dog on the head and took him back out of
the room.
When
she returns she has a cat with her. The cat jumps down on the table and
delicately sniffs the duck from bill to tail, stopping to lick one wing
very gently. The cat sits back on its haunches, meows softly, shakes
its head and strolls out of the room.
Nicki
the Vet looks at Judy
and says "I'm
truly sorry but this duck is 100% certifiably a dead duck. A late duck.
It is no more. It has departed."
Nicki
the Vet turns to her computer, taps a few keys and
produces the bill for Judy.
Still
in shock over the loss of her duck, Cuddles,
Judy
takes a look at the bill.
"$220.00"
she cries. "$220,000
just to tell me my duck is dead?"
Nicki
the Vet shrugged and said...

Wait for it.
"My
bill to tell you your duck was dead was only $20. The Lab report and Cat scan added $200."
(and that's
without the public option)
Those additional procedures can add up really quickley. thanks for the laugh