He’s been practicing for this role for months. He goes down to the opera house on the day of the audition, only to find he’s come down with a sore throat and can’t hit his notes anymore. In a panic, he asks one of the directors if they can postpone his audition.
“I’m sorry,” says the director, “but we can’t delay an audition for just one performer. That would set a bad precedent. Instead, I’ll let you in on a little opera house secret.” The director pours the man a cup of warm, smelly liquid. “Drink this. It’s a special tea to help your throat. The recipe has been passed down for decades in this opera company, and I guarantee it will make you able to sing again.”
The man wrinkles up his nose and takes a swig. “Euch! This is… awful! What’s in this tea anyways?”
“Well, it’s a secret herbal tea blend made with… well… fish broth.” The director replies. “Tuna, specifically. We’ve found it helps soothe the throat better than any other fish we’ve tried.”
Sure enough the man is able to sing again! He hits all his notes and gives an exemplary performance.
At the end of the auditions, he finds the director that gave him the tea. “So… what did you think? Did I get the part or not?” He asks.
“I’m sorry,” said the director, “you performed well, but we’ve decided to give the part to someone else.”
“That’s OK,” the man says, “I’m just really grateful for the Opera-Tuna-Tea.”
