otoh

Chauncey the dog lives on a horse farm in Kentucky. One day he overhears two retired race horses.

“You know,” says Bypass (one of the horses), “I’ve won my share of races, but I’ve never beaten you.”

“True enough,” relpies Blowby (the other horse). “I’ve won and lost many races over the years, but I’ve always come in ahead of you whenever we were in the same race.”

“So I was thinking,” Bypass continues, “since we’re getting old and don’t have so many days left, could we race around the pasture here so I can win against you just once?”

“You want me to let you win?”

“Well, yes. I hate to ask, but think of it as a final request from an old friend.”

Blowby reluctantly agrees.

Chauncey spreads the word around the farm about the impending race. All the other animals gather at one corner of the pasture. Bypass and Blowby line up. And they are off! Bypass and Blowby are neck and neck all the way down the first fence. Bypass takes the inside around the first corner and pulls half a length ahead. After the second turn Bypass is a full length ahead, but Blowby catches up in the backstretch. Both horses are huffing and puffing at the final turn and it’s a dead heat. Nose to nose and eye to eye they thunder toward the finish line. At the last second, Blowby puts in a burst of speed and crosses just ahead of Bypass.

Bypass is heartbroken. Chauncey says, “That wasn’t very nice. You said you were going to let Bypass win!”

And Blowby says, “Hey look, a talking dog!”