# Goat for dinner

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Joke
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-joke-old-goat-for-dinner
- Themes: humour, family, irritation
- Life situations: in-laws, family gatherings

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A mother-in-law coming to dinner asks her grandson what's on the menu. 'Goat,' he says — he overheard his father telling his uncle on the phone, 'We're having the old goat for dinner.'

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

about mother-in-law was coming over for dinner and so she asked her her grand her grandson so what we having for dinner and the grandson said we're having goat for dinner goat for dinner said the Mother-in-law yeah I just I just overheard my father talking to his to my uncle on the phone we're having the Old Goat for dinner

## Teaching point

A joke he read that afternoon, about irritating in-laws.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

Asked what's for dinner, a boy tells his grandmother it's goat; he heard Dad say on the phone that the old goat was coming. Ajahn Brahm admits the joke has one merit: you hadn't heard it before. Delays and difficult relatives won't change because we fume. Take them in your stride and keep your peace.

## Source

- [Irritation | Ajahn Brahm | 18-03-2011](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6O42-CAHgo) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 46:04 to 46:27: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6O42-CAHgo&t=2764s