An old Arab lived close to New York City for more than 40 years

[petsetc]

An old Arab lived close to New York City for more than 40 years.

He would have loved to plant potatoes in his garden, but he is alone, old, and weak.

His son is in college in Paris, so the old man sends him an e-mail.

He explains the problem: "Beloved son, I am very sad because I can't plant potatoes in my garden. I am sure, if only you were here, you would help and dig up the garden for me. I love you, Your Father."

The following day, the old man receives a response e-mail from his son: "Beloved Father, please don't touch the garden. It's there that I have hidden 'the THING'. I love you, too, Ahmed"

At 4 pm the US Army, The Marines, the FBI, the CIA, and the Rangers visit the house of the old man, take the whole garden apart, and search every inch, but can't find anything. Disappointed they leave the house.

A day later, the old man receives another e-mail from his son. "Beloved Father, I hope the garden is dug up by now and you can plant your potatoes. That's all I could do for you from here. I love you, Ahmed."

[fdpaq0580]

An old Arab lived close to New York City for more than 40 years.

He would have loved to plant potatoes in his garden, but he is alone, old, and weak.

His son is in college in Paris, so the old man sends him an e-mail.

He explains the problem: "Beloved son, I am very sad because I can't plant potatoes in my garden. I am sure, if only you were here, you would help and dig up the garden for me. I love you, Your Father."

The following day, the old man receives a response e-mail from his son: "Beloved Father, please don't touch the garden. It's there that I have hidden 'the THING'. I love you, too, Ahmed"

At 4 pm the US Army, The Marines, the FBI, the CIA, and the Rangers visit the house of the old man, take the whole garden apart, and search every inch, but can't find anything. Disappointed they leave the house.

A day later, the old man receives another e-mail from his son. "Beloved Father, I hope the garden is dug up by now and you can plant your potatoes. That's all I could do for you from here. I love you, Ahmed."

😂 Hilarious!

[ElDiabloJoe]

An oldie but goodie, usually told as Italians with the son being a mobster who can't help dig the garden because he is in prison.

[Taltarzac725]

An oldie but goodie, usually told as Italians with the son being a mobster who can't help dig the garden because he is in prison.

I had not heard these that I can recall.

[wisbad1]

An old Arab lived close to New York City for more than 40 years.

He would have loved to plant potatoes in his garden, but he is alone, old, and weak.

His son is in college in Paris, so the old man sends him an e-mail.

He explains the problem: "Beloved son, I am very sad because I can't plant potatoes in my garden. I am sure, if only you were here, you would help and dig up the garden for me. I love you, Your Father."

The following day, the old man receives a response e-mail from his son: "Beloved Father, please don't touch the garden. It's there that I have hidden 'the THING'. I love you, too, Ahmed"

At 4 pm the US Army, The Marines, the FBI, the CIA, and the Rangers visit the house of the old man, take the whole garden apart, and search every inch, but can't find anything. Disappointed they leave the house.

A day later, the old man receives another e-mail from his son. "Beloved Father, I hope the garden is dug up by now and you can plant your potatoes. That's all I could do for you from here. I love you, Ahmed."
It’s supposed to be a old Italian,

[JMintzer]

An oldie but goodie, usually told as Italians with the son being a mobster who can't help dig the garden because he is in prison.

It’s supposed to be a old Italian,

Yup... That's the way I've heard it for years...

[Quixote]

It can be anyone you want it to be. At some point in the past, when the prejudicial nature of the 'jokes' became too pointed, the expression 'EPC' evolved in my neck of the woods and perhaps others: Ethnic Person of Choice, as in 'How many EPCs does it take to change a light bulb?' But has anything changed?/...

[La lamy]

An old Arab lived close to New York City for more than 40 years.

He would have loved to plant potatoes in his garden, but he is alone, old, and weak.

His son is in college in Paris, so the old man sends him an e-mail.

He explains the problem: "Beloved son, I am very sad because I can't plant potatoes in my garden. I am sure, if only you were here, you would help and dig up the garden for me. I love you, Your Father."

The following day, the old man receives a response e-mail from his son: "Beloved Father, please don't touch the garden. It's there that I have hidden 'the THING'. I love you, too, Ahmed"

At 4 pm the US Army, The Marines, the FBI, the CIA, and the Rangers visit the house of the old man, take the whole garden apart, and search every inch, but can't find anything. Disappointed they leave the house.

A day later, the old man receives another e-mail from his son. "Beloved Father, I hope the garden is dug up by now and you can plant your potatoes. That's all I could do for you from here. I love you, Ahmed."

Freakin sad hyperbole, but still funny!

[RiderOnTheStorm]

An old Arab lived close to New York City for more than 40 years.

He would have loved to plant potatoes in his garden, but he is alone, old, and weak.

His son is in college in Paris, so the old man sends him an e-mail.

He explains the problem: "Beloved son, I am very sad because I can't plant potatoes in my garden. I am sure, if only you were here, you would help and dig up the garden for me. I love you, Your Father."

The following day, the old man receives a response e-mail from his son: "Beloved Father, please don't touch the garden. It's there that I have hidden 'the THING'. I love you, too, Ahmed"

At 4 pm the US Army, The Marines, the FBI, the CIA, and the Rangers visit the house of the old man, take the whole garden apart, and search every inch, but can't find anything. Disappointed they leave the house.

A day later, the old man receives another e-mail from his son. "Beloved Father, I hope the garden is dug up by now and you can plant your potatoes. That's all I could do for you from here. I love you, Ahmed."

This is a related and absolutely true story (featured on PBS):
A old Vietnamese man is lamenting over the fact that all his sons have gone off to war and are unable to help him dig a fish pond, which he desperately needs to supply protein to his remaining family. He decides to build a tiny hut where he wants the fish pond to be. Every night for about one hour he places a lighted lantern inside the hut. Within a week the hut is bombed by the US, presumably as a clandestine meeting site of the North Vietnamese military. The resulting bomb crater quickly fills with water and becomes his fish pond.
The story was relayed in a simple matter-of-fact style to a PBS film crew visiting Vietnam in the early 90s.

[Samcat13]

I could almost believe the Vietnamese story. :a20:

[Riversong]

[QUOTE=petsetc;2146562]An old Arab lived close to New York City for more than 40 years.

He would have loved to plant potatoes in his garden, but he is alone, old, and weak.

His son is in college in Paris, so the old man sends him an e-mail.

He explains the problem: "Beloved son, I am very sad because I can't plant potatoes in my garden. I am sure, if only you were here, you would help and dig up the garden for me. I love you, Your Father."

The following day, the old man receives a response e-mail from his son: "Beloved Father, please don't touch the garden. It's there that I have hidden 'the THING'. I love you, too, Ahmed"

At 4 pm the US Army, The Marines, the FBI, the CIA, and the Rangers visit the house of the old man, take the whole garden apart, and search every inch, but can't find anything. Disappointed they leave the house.

A day later, the old man receives another e-mail from his son. "Beloved Father, I hope the garden is dug up by now and you can plant your potatoes. That's all I could do for you from here. I love you, Ahmed."[/QUOTE

Thank you for putting a big grin on my face. I am immediately sharing with friends and family. ]