The Grateful Dad and the Scarecrow

A father and his teenage son were driving past a large farm when the dad suddenly slammed on the brakes and pointed toward a golden wheat field. "Look at that, son!" he shouted with genuine admiration. "That scarecrow right there is a true inspiration to us all."

The son looked at the raggedy figure stuffed with straw and wearing an oversized flannel shirt. "It’s just a scarecrow, Dad. It’s been standing in the same spot for three months. What’s so inspiring about that?"

The dad gripped the steering wheel and looked at his son with a completely straight face. "You don't understand, kid. I heard the farmer gave him a massive bonus and a corner office in the barn last week."

The son sighed, already knowing where this was going. "And why would he do that, Dad?"

"Because," the father beamed, "he was outstanding in his field!"

The son stared out the window in silence for the next ten miles, but the dad spent the rest of the drive whistling a happy tune, clearly satisfied with his contribution to the conversation.