Camel Time

Some Americans were touring the marketplace and one of them saw a man on the ground brushing his camel. "Excuse me, sir," the American said. "Do you know the time?"

The Arab looked at the American. The he reached over and held the camel's balls, moving them slightly. "Ten after two," he said, at last.

"My word!" said the American. He caught up to his tour group and insisted some of the others return with him, "You've never seen anything like this!" he promised.

The group went back with him. Again he asked for the time and again the Arab camel driver reached for the camel's balls. He seemed to be weighing them as he moved them to and fro. Finally, he announced, "Twenty-one minutes past two."

The others were amazed. They went on their way, but the original discoverer of the miracle time-teller remained. He leaned over. "Listen," he confided to the Arab. "I'll give you twenty dollars if you show me how you do that."

The Arab camel driver thought for a moment and then nodded. Pocketing the twenty-dollar bill, he beckoned for the American to kneel down where he was. Then he took the camel's balls and gently moved them to the side, out of the way and said, "Do you see that clock over there?"