There was a country boy who moved to the big city in order to make his fortune. He searched everywhere for a job but was unable to find any work. One day he happened across a "Help Wanted" sign at a brothel in a questionable part of town. When he went to apply for the job, the madam learned that the boy couldn't read or write and turned him down for a job. Out of pity, she gave the poor hungry boy two red apples and sent him on his way. Outside, he set his apples on a bin while he bent over to tie his shoe. A man came and offered to buy his apples. The boy accepted, took the money to the grocer's, and bought more apples. He continued on until he had made quite a bit of money, bought a fruit store, transformed it into a line of supermarkets, and became the richest man in his state. A journalist discovered that the man couldn't read and write and made a comment to the effect of, "Imagine where you would be today if you knew how to read!"

The man replied, "Yes, I'd probably be bookkeeper in a whorehouse."

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