A clever lawyer once sold a well to an old farmer.
A couple of days later, the lawyer returned with a smug smile.
“Sir, there’s a small detail we need to clear up.”
The farmer raised an eyebrow.
“I sold you the well,” the lawyer explained, “but I never sold you the water inside it.”
The farmer stared at him.
“So, if you want to use that water, you’ll have to pay me extra.”
The lawyer smiled proudly, certain he had outsmarted the old man.
The farmer thought for a moment, then smiled back.
“Well, isn’t that interesting?”
The lawyer nodded.
“I was just about to tell you something similar.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. If the water belongs to you, then you’d better come and remove it from my well.”
The lawyer’s smile disappeared.
The farmer continued calmly:
“Otherwise, I’ll have no choice but to charge you rent for storing your water on my property.”
The lawyer stood there in silence.
For once, he had absolutely nothing to say.
He turned around and walked away.
And, surprisingly…
He never came back to collect his “water.”
