Harry was a compulsive gambler who would bet on anything — cards, horses, roulette, dogs, football, baseball, dice, basketball. One day after a run of bad luck, he said to his best friend, “Buddy, I hate asking you this, but I need $3,000 urgently. We’ve got no food in the house, I owe three months rent, the kids need new clothes, and my wife is too ashamed to go out because we have bad checks at every store in town. Is there any way you can help me out?”

The friend thought for a moment before writing Harry a check for $4,000 so that he could get back on his feet. “But, there’s one condition,” he said. “I don’t want you use the money for gambling.”

“No worries,” said Harry. “I’ve got money put aside for that.”