A man hiking along a road in the countryside comes across a shepherd and his flock of sheep. The man tells the shepherd, “I will bet you $100 against one of your sheep that I can tell you the exact number in your flock.”
The shepherd thinks it over. It is a large flock so he takes the bet. The man says, “247.”
The shepherd is astonished because that is exact number. The shepherd replies “Okay, I’m a man of my word, take an animal.” The man picks one up and begins to walk away.
“Wait,” cries the shepherd, “Let me have a chance to get even. Double or nothing that I can guess your occupation.”
The man replies, “Sure.”
“You are a bureaucrat for the government,” says the shepherd.
“Amazing!” responds the man. “You are exactly right! But tell me, how did you deduce that?”
“Well,” says the shepherd, “I will tell you after you put down my dog.”