DETECTING MENTAL ILLNESS

A noted psychiatrist was a guest speaker at an
academic function where Nancy Pelosi happened
to appear. Ms. Pelosi took the opportunity to
schmooze the good doctor a bit and asked him a
question with which he was most at ease.

'Would you mind telling me, Doctor,' she asked,
'how you detect a mental deficiency in somebody
who appears completely normal?'

'Nothing is easier,' he replied. 'You ask a simple
question which anyone should answer with no
trouble. If the person hesitates, that puts you
on the track.'

'What sort of question?' asked Pelosi.

Well, you might ask, 'Captain Cook’ made three
trips around the world and died during one of
them. Which one?

Pelosi thought a moment, and then said with a
nervous laugh, 'You wouldn't happen to have
another example would you? I must confess I
don't know much about history....'
#####