One day, Mr. All, Mr. None, and Mr. Some went out to eat in a fancy French Restaurant. They were seated at a lovely table with a tablecloth. Soon, a waiter in a white apron came over to take their order.
"What would you like, sirs?" asked the waiter.
"Do you serve snails?" asked Mr. All.
"Yes we do, sir," replied the waiter, "How many would you like?"
"I would like them all," said Mr. All as he folded his menu up.
"Very good, sir. And what would you like?" the waiter asked Mr. None.
"I am also in the mood for snails," said Mr. None. "I'll have none, please."
"Very good, sir," said the waiter with relief. "What would you like?" he asked Mr. Some.
"Please bring me some snails," said Mr. Some.
"I'm afraid I can't do that, sir," said the waiter.
"This is outrageous!" said Mr. Some. "Why not?"
"Sir, your friend has already ordered all of the snails. We won't have enough left over for some. May I suggest none?"
"That's what I ordered!" said Mr. None.
"More than one person can order none," explained the waiter. "Or, if you can convince Mr. All to change his order to some, then you may also have some, Mr. Some. Mr. None may also have some in that case."
"Leave me out of this," said Mr. None.
"Very good, sir."
"Wait a minute," said Mr. All. "This is a fancy French Restaurant. Why can't you just give us all what we ordered?"
"Mr. All wants all of the snails, Mr. None wants none of the snails, and I want some," explained Mr. Some.
"I understand, sir, but that isn't our policy," said the waiter.
Everyone thought hard. Then the waiter had an idea. "Why don't you three leave?"
"Well, I never!" said Mr. All, throwing down his napkin.
Then Mr. None had an idea. "Why don't we come back tomorrow and make sure Mr. Some orders before Mr. All does?"
"Why?" asked the waiter.
"If Mr. Some orders some of the snails first, then Mr. All can order all of the rest of the snails."
"But then what would you have?" asked Mr. All.
"I will have none of the snails," said Mr. None.
"Ingenious!" said the waiter. Everyone shook hands with one another and Mr. All, Mr. None and Mr. Some left the fancy French Restaurant.
The next day, Mr. All, Mr. None and Mr. Some came back to the fancy French Restaurant. The waiter came over to take their order.
"What would you like this evening?" the waiter asked Mr. Some.
"I would like some snails, please," said Mr. Some.
"I'm afraid we're out of snails tonight, sir," said the waiter, "But perhaps Mr. None would still like to order them."
"That makes absolutely no sense," said Mr. None.
"Would you like another minute to decide?" asked the waiter.
"What would you recommend?" asked Mr. All.
"The clams are very good, sir," said the waiter.
"Excellent," said Mr. All. "I will have all of them."
"I would also like the clams. None. please," said Mr. None.
"Mmmmm, clams," said Mr. Some. But when he looked up from his menu, the waiter was gone and his apron was wadded up on the floor.
The End.
