Boudreaux was bragging to his boss one day, "Dat be de truth, I know 'bout everybody what there is to know.  Jus name somebody, anybodies, and I bet I know dem for sure."

Tired of his boasting, his boss called his bluff, "OK, Boudreaux, how about Tom Cruise?"

"Why sure, yes, Tom and I be like old friends, and I be proving it."

So Boudreaux and his boss fly out to Hollywood and knock on Tom Cruise's door, and sure enough, Tom Cruise, shouts, "Boudreaux!  Great to see you!  You and your friend come right in and join me for lunch!"

Although impressed, Boudreaux's boss was still skeptical.  After they leave Cruise's house, he tells Boudreaux that he thinks Boudreaux's knowing Cruise was just lucky.

"Dat so?" asks Boudreaux, "No, no, just name anybody else," Boudreaux say.

"President Bush," his boss quickly retorts.

"Ah yes, my good buddy, yea!" Boudreaux say, "I know him, let's fly out to Washington."  And off they go.

At the White House, Bush spots Boudreaux on the tour and motions him and his boss over, saying, "Boudreaux, what a surprise, I was just on my way to a meeting, but you and your friend come on in and let's have a cup of coffee first and catch up."

Well, the boss is very shaken by now, but still not totally convinced.  After they leave the White House grounds, he expresses his doubts to Boudreaux, who again implores him to name anyone else.

"The Pope," his boss replies.

"For sure!" says Boudreaux.  So off they fly to Rome.

Boudreaux and his boss are assembled with the masses in Vatican Square when Boudreaux say, "Well, this never gonna work.  How I catch dat Pope's eye down here amongst all des peoples.  Tell you what, I know all de guards, I'm just gonna run up dem stair and I'll come out on dat balcony with de Pope."  And he disappears into the crowd headed toward the Vatican.

Sure enough, half an hour later Boudreaux emerges with the Pope on the balcony.  But by the time Boudreaux returns, he finds that his boss has had a heart attack and is surrounded by paramedics.  Working his way to his boss's side, Boudreaux axe him, "Whut happened?"

His boss looks up and says, "I was doing fine until you and the Pope came out on the balcony and the man next to me said, "Who's that on the balcony with Boudreaux?"

Copyright © 2006, Jace Carlton.  All International Rights Reserved.