A boy is about to go on his first date, but he has no idea what to talk about. He asks his father for advice, and the pearls of wisdom in reply are, "Son, there are three subjects that always work. These are food, family, and philosophy."
The boy picks up his date and they go to a soda fountain. Ice-cream sodas in front of them, they stare at each other for several uncomfortable minutes. The boy remembers his father's words. He asks the girl: "Do you like potato pancakes?".
"No," she says, and the silence returns.
After a few more nerve-wracking minutes, the boy thinks again of his father's suggestions, and turns to the second item on the list.
"Do you have a brother?"
"No," says the girl, and, again, the silence is deafening.
In desperation the boy plays his final card. He thinks of his father's advice, and asks: "If you had a brother, would he like potato pancakes?"
