An old guy was leaning on the rail watching the water while on a long ferry ride heading home. A young guy walks up to him and asks,
"Pardon me sir, could you tell me the time?".
The old guys looks at him, sizes him up and then says, "Noooo!" and goes back to minding his own business watching the water.
The young guy says, "Sir, I see you have a watch on, why won't you tell me the time?".
The old guy turns to him and explains: "It's like this! If I tell you the time then we're going to start chatting. And we'll chat for a while until my wife comes along. Then she'll chat with you for 4 or 5 hours straight, no problem. When the ferry docks, she'll invite you back to our house for a coffee and maybe something to eat. We'll chat there for a while, then my daughter will come home. You'll take a liking to her and in a few days you and her will be going out on dates. Then in 5 or 6 months my daughter is going to tell me that she loves you and you are going to get married. Now I can't have my daughter marrying a fellow that doesn't even have a watch!!".
