The first mate on a ship got drunk for the first time in his life. The ship's
captain, a stern and rigid man, recorded in his log, "The first mate got drunk
today."
The mate protested against the entry, explaining that if it
remained in the log without further comment or explanation it could ruin his
career because it suggested that drunkenness was not unusual for him, whereas he
had never been drunk before. The captain, however, was adamant, stating that
the log recorded the exact truth and therefore must stand as written.
The
next day, however, it was the first mate's turn to write the ship's log. When the first mate was finished with his log entry it stated, "The Captain was sober today."
