The friars

Several friars at a monastery decided to start a business so they could make
donations to a local charity which they deemed a worthy cause. After much
deliberation, the friars decided that, due to their gardening expertise, they
should start a flower business.

After a couple months, the friars' flower business was doing extremely well -
so well, in fact, that the local florist was beginning to suffer. The florist,
realizing that his livelihood might be in jeopardy, approached the friars and
asked them to find another business so that he might continue operating
profitably. The friars politely said, "No."

After a couple more months, the florist's business was very bad and things
looked bleak. Realizing that her son's business was failing, the florist's mother
approached the friars and asked them to cease the floral business so that
her son could continue. The friars were polite but once again said, "No."

A couple months more passed and the local florist had lost most of his
customers to the friars. His family was suffering badly since the florist had
practically no income. In desperation, the florist hired Hugh McNally, a local
strongman to "convince" the friars to stop. Hugh went to the monastery and
asked the friars to please discontinue selling flowers because they had taken
most of the business of the village florist. Once again, the friars politely said,
"No."

Hugh, a man of great actions but few words and less temper, beat up a half
dozen of the friars. He destroyed their flowers and trampled their gardens.
Immediately, the friars had a meeting and decided that it was in everyone's
best interests to terminate the business.

The moral to this story is very simple:











Hugh, and only Hugh, can prevent florist friars.