Page 6 - The Gluckman Occasional Number Eleven

here. Now—wait a minute: only three of you. Mumbo, Jumbo and
Dumbo. Where’s Gumbo?”
“Ah, sorry, Masta’ Don: he was too stewed to answer the bell.”
“Well, we can do without him. Now, any ideas?”
“I like ‘A public office is a family trust’,” said Jumbo.
“No, that’s ‘A family business is a public trust’,” said Dumbo.
“You’re both wrong,” chimed in Mumbo triumphantly. It’s ‘A
public family is a business trust’.”
Masta’ Don wrote down the phrases. They stunk.
“Come on, you numbskulls. Better than that.”
“Hmm.” Dumbo wrinkled his trunk in concentration. “How
about ‘The business of government is the business of business’?”
Jumbo disagreed. “No. It should be, ‘The business of business is
the government of government’.”
And Mumbo thought a bit before saying, “Look: the government
is the business of the business in government. I mean, that’s what we
do, isn’t it?”
Masta’ Don nodded sagely.
“Yes, and if I know business it’s like no business I know.”

N.B.: image from “Now You Tell One” (1926) by Charlie Bowers.