A cowboy, fresh from Texas, strolls into a bar in Montana and orders three mugs of Bud.
He heads to a corner, takes a sip from each mug, one after the other, in turn.
Once he’s done, he returns to the bar and orders three more.
Curious, the bartender approaches him and says, “You know, beer goes flat pretty quick after it’s poured.
It might taste better if you just ordered one at a time.”
The cowboy smiles and explains, “Well, here’s the thing.
I’ve got two brothers—one in Arizona, the other in Colorado.
When we all moved away from Texas, we promised that whenever we drank, we’d each have one for the others, just like we did back home.
So, I’m drinking for my brothers and myself.”
The bartender nods, impressed by the sentiment, and leaves it at that.
The cowboy becomes a regular, always ordering three beers and sipping them in rotation.
One day, though, he walks in and only orders two mugs.
The regulars, noticing the change, go quiet.
When the cowboy returns to the bar for his second round, the bartender cautiously leans in and says, “I’m sorry for your loss.
I just wanted to offer my condolences.”
The cowboy looks confused for a second, then bursts out laughing.
“Oh no, no one’s passed away!
” he chuckles.
“It’s just that my wife and I joined the Baptist Church, so I had to quit drinking.
But my brothers are still going strong!
”
