Bill the painter was a rogue,

Who topped his paints with thinners

And thereby cut his overheads

So all his quotes were winners.

His clients were oblivious

To Bill the painter’s scam

And every job for sneaky Bill

Was currency for jam!

One day the local Parish Priest

Approached Bill for a quote.

Said he, “The church is looking drab

And needs a fresh new coat.”

Bill grinned as he prepared the quote,

(They DO say winners are grinners!)

Which included the price of tins of paint

Together with tins of thinners.

Bill had almost finished the job

When, before the paint was dry,

The weather changed and buckets of rain

Came pouring from the sky.

It washed away the thinned-down paint

Which slowly dripped to ground;

As Bill stood staring in dismay

He heard a rumbling sound.

The sky above now cleared of clouds

Except one small and glistening;

From which a heavenly voice was heard,

“Bill! Bill! Are you listening?”

“You are a most deceitful man,

You outdo all the sinners

Through cheating on my earthly church

By mixing paint with thinners!”

The painter clutched his heart, cried, “Lord

Forgive this sinful flaw!"

And swiftly came the stern reply,

“REPAINT! AND THIN NO MORE!”

©Patrick Talty 2005