Dean was sitting in his drawing room having a cup of coffee, quite at ease with himself. In comes his son with a plate in his hands containing two pastries. He sits opposite Dean and says: “Dad, tell me, how many pastries are there in my plate?”
Dean: “I can see two.”
Son: “No, there are three, I can prove it.”
Dean: “How?”
Son: “This one is one.” He then proceeded to point to the other and said: “This is two, right? And one plus two is three, isn’t it?”
Dean: “How clever of you, son? I am impressed. Now let’s see.”
He picked up one from the plate and said: “This one is for me,” picked up the second one and said: “This for your sister. You can have the third one for yourself.”
Dean: “I can see two.”
Son: “No, there are three, I can prove it.”
Dean: “How?”
Son: “This one is one.” He then proceeded to point to the other and said: “This is two, right? And one plus two is three, isn’t it?”
Dean: “How clever of you, son? I am impressed. Now let’s see.”
He picked up one from the plate and said: “This one is for me,” picked up the second one and said: “This for your sister. You can have the third one for yourself.”