A piece of paper

This is a story about a man who was drafted into the army. While in the army he developed a quite disconcerting habit. As he walked along each day he kept picking up pieces of paper saying to himself aloud, "That's not it!"

He would pick up one piece of paper after another and say, "That's not it! That's not it! That's not it!" This went on for about six months. Such bizarre behavior was finally brought to the attention of his superiors in the military. They ordered him to report to the company psychiatrist.

The psychiatrist asked, "What is wrong with you? What is your problem?"

The man had a baffled expression on his face as he asked "What problem? I don't have a problem."

The psychiatrist said, "Well, there's got to be something wrong with you. It has been reported to me that you keep going all over this base picking up pieces of paper and saying, `That's not it, that's not it!' Now, tell me, just what is it you are looking for?"

The man said, "I don't know. I just don't seem to be able to find it." The psychiatrist consulted with some of his colleagues, then said to the man, "I think your problem is serious, and I'm going to give you a medical discharge from the service." HOME

When the psychiatrist handed the discharge paper to him, the man shouted excitedly, "This is it! This is it!"