The Shark

There was a very wealthy Texas millionaire who lived in a giant mansion in the middle of his cattle ranch. He owned dozens of expensive cars, a yacht and even a full size airplane with his picture painted on the side. Every once in a while, this millionaire would hold lavish dinner parties and invite anyone who would come. People hated his constant bragging about his possessions but would attend these dinner parties because the food, drinks and entertainment were so good.

At the height of the evening during these dinner parties, the millionaire would gather his guests around his Olympic size pool in which he kept a man eating shark. He would always make the following challenge. He would say, “If there’s anyone here man enough to swim across this here pool, I’ll give one of three things. I’ll give him either one million dollars, or, 25 percent share in my cattle business, or, the hand of my beautiful daughter in marriage.” One evening, just as he finished giving this challenge, there was a splash in the pool.

Everyone turned to see a man still dressed in his dinner jacket swimming as fast as he could across the pool. He got out just in time as the shark barely missed him.

Everyone around the pool began to cheer and shout. Once the noise died down, the millionaire said, “I’m a man of my word. What do you want? The million dollars?”
The man who swam across the pool, still out of breath said, “No, I don’t want the million dollars.”
“Oh”, said the millionaire, “Perhaps you want 25 percent of my cattle business.”
The swimmer said, “No, I don’t want that.”
“Well then!” said the millionaire, “You want to marry my daughter.”
“I don’t want to marry your daughter.” said the man.
“Well what in the world do you want son?” said the millionaire.

“All I want” said the man, “is... the name of the person that pushed me in that pool!”