The Monks

[Ashcan Bill]

So, there were these monks in England, living in their monastery. They were a little behind on the payments, so they prayed and had a meeting to decide how best to go forward and try to keep their monastery. They made a decision to open a flower shop. Things were going swell for a while, until the town florist came to visit.

He said, "I'm glad you're trying your hand at business, but it's really causing a problem with my shop. Many of my regular customers are coming to you now, and it's really putting a damper on my business. Could you perhaps, please, find a different endeavor to engage in?"

The holy men, after brief consultation with each other, replied to the man, "We're sorry but we cannot help you. This business venture is working out very well, and we are not going to interrupt our arrangements."

A couple of weeks goes by, the man from the town flower shop is getting desperate because of the negative impact the monks' flower shop is having on his business. At last, he sends his elderly mother to try to reason with the monks.

"Please stop hurting my son's business, he is having a hard time right now and you're taking business from him. Please, do something else."
The monks tell her to basically get lost. They are making good money, it's helping them catch up on their payments, and they are very pleased with the results.

When the man finds out from his mother that they wouldn't listen to her, he has had it. In anger, he heads over to an Irish pub. He locates a bloke named Hugh MacTaggart, who stands about 6 feet 6 inches tall, weighs 300 pounds, all muscle, and who looks like the meanest guy in the place. The flower shop owner buys him a drink, tells him about the little "problem" he has, makes a deal, and puts MacTaggart on the payroll.

The next day, the giant of a man goes to the monastery, goes nuts, trashes the flower shop, beats the monks within an inch of their lives, and threatens to come back and finish the job if they ever dare to re-open again.

And....
The moral of the story?

Hugh, and only Hugh, can prevent florist friars.