English Original
Joe Schmidt, though very wealthy, was a notorious tightwad.
One day, he and his wife decided to take a sightseeing flight over New York City.
The pilot quoted a price of ten dollars per person for a thirty-minute flight. "How about ten dollars for both of us?" the stingy millionaire bargained. "No way!" the pilot replied firmly. Schmidt pleaded earnestly for some time. As it was a slow day with few customers, the pilot finally relented. "Alright, I'll take you and your wife for ten bucks, but on one condition: you must not make a single sound during the flight. If I hear a peep, it will cost you twenty dollars." Schmidt reluctantly agreed.
The plane took off smoothly. Deliberately, the pilot performed loops and all sorts of aerial tricks to scare his passengers. After landing, the pilot asked incredulously, "I have to hand it to you. I don't know how you managed to stay so quiet."
"It wasn't easy," confessed the tightwad. "I almost hollered when my wife fell out."
中文翻译
乔·施密特虽然非常富有，却是个出了名的吝啬鬼。
一天，他和妻子决定乘飞机俯瞰纽约市。
飞行员报价每人十美元，飞行三十分钟。"我们两个人十美元怎么样？"这个吝啬的百万富翁讨价还价道。"不行！"飞行员斩钉截铁地回答。施密特苦苦哀求了好一阵。由于当天生意清淡，顾客稀少，飞行员最终让步了。"好吧，我载你们夫妇俩收十美元，但有一个条件：飞行期间你们不能发出任何声音。如果我听到一点声响，你们就得付二十美元。"施密特不情愿地答应了。
飞机顺利起飞。飞行员故意在空中翻筋斗、做各种特技动作，想吓唬他的乘客。着陆后，飞行员难以置信地问道："我不得不佩服你。真不知道你是怎么做到一声不吭的。"
"这可不容易，"吝啬鬼坦白道，"我妻子掉下去的时候，我差点就叫出声了。"