Among the guests at the neighborhood street party were a respected doctor, Dr. Samuel Wilkins, and an accomplished lawyer, Mr. Edward Sinclair.
As the two made their way through the crowd, sipping on their drinks, they found themselves engaged in a deep discussion about the challenges of their respective professions.
“You know, it never fails,” Dr. Wilkins lamented, “whenever I’m out in public, people just can’t resist bombarding me with their medical ailments, hoping for free advice.”
Mr. Sinclair nodded empathetically.
“I know exactly what you mean,” he replied. “I often find myself in similar situations, with people constantly seeking my legal expertise, even when I’m not in the office.”
Their conversation was repeatedly interrupted as various partygoers approached them, each eager to pick the doctor’s or lawyer’s brain.
“Doctor, I’ve been having this pain in my lower back for weeks. Do you think it could be something serious?” one guest inquired.
“Excuse me, Mr. Sinclair, my neighbor is threatening to sue me over a property dispute. What should I do?” another asked, seemingly oblivious to the doctors’ annoyance.
After an hour of constant disruptions, Dr. Wilkins turned to his colleague, his frustration evident:
“I don’t know how you handle this, Edward. It’s enough to drive me mad!”
The lawyer chuckled:
“Well, my dear Samuel, I’ve found a simple solution: I give them the advice they seek, and then I send them a bill.”
Dr. Wilkins stared at him, his eyes widening in shock. “You what? Surely you don’t mean that.”
“Oh, but I do,” Mr. Sinclair replied, a satisfied grin spreading across his face.
“It’s the only way to get them to stop pestering me. Once they realize there’s a price tag attached, they tend to think twice before asking for my time and expertise.”
The doctor mulled over his words, a spark of inspiration igniting within him.
“You know, that’s actually not a bad idea,” he mused, a sly smile forming on his lips.
The next day, Dr. Wilkins found himself preparing a stack of bills, each one detailing the advice he had provided to the various partygoers.
With a sense of determination, he made his way to the mailbox, ready to put his colleague’s strategy into action.
However, as he reached the mailbox, he was met with an unexpected sight – a neatly folded invoice, addressed to him.
Curious, he opened it and felt her heart skip a beat.
It was a bill from none other than Mr. Sinclair, charging him for the legal counsel he had provided the previous evening.
