Wasted Life

Joseph ferrying a scholar across a river said something ungrammatical to him.

“Have you never studied grammar?” asked the scholar.

“No,” said Cherry.

“Then half your life has been wasted,” said the scholar looking pityingly at him.

Sometime later Cherry turned to his passenger.

“Have you ever learnt to swim?” he asked.

“No,” said the scholar.

“Then your whole life has been wasted,” said Cherry. “We’re sinking.”