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Topic: water and coffee for the fireman? (Read 6801 times) |
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jon_G
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water and coffee for the fireman?
« on: Dec 5th, 2002, 6:10pm » |
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A man walks into a bar and says "I want a coffee and a glass of water. But make sure the coffee is boiling hot and the water is ice-cold." The barman says "Sure thing, mr. fireman." The barman had never met him before. How did he know the man was a fireman? 
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| « Last Edit: Apr 21st, 2003, 7:25pm by jon_G » |
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TimMann
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Re: What happened III
« Reply #1 on: Dec 7th, 2002, 1:31am » |
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Some possible answers. Pick your favorite.
1) The barman had been looking through the window and saw the man park his fire engine outside and get out.
2) The man was wearing a fireman's uniform.
3) The fireman had just been decorated for bravery, and the barman recognized him from his picture in the paper.
#3 is original; the others I've heard. Wasn't this riddle elsewhere on this site?
It would be fun to make up an answer that explains why the man made the request he did, but I don't have one.
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jon_G
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Re: What happened III
« Reply #2 on: Dec 8th, 2002, 5:40pm » |
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The first explanation that came to mind was that the barman was being sarcastic of the man(which doesn't exactly have to be a fireman) That wants to order a boiling hot cup of coffee and a cup of freezing cold water. Since the man will most likely be using the cold water as something to put the fire out in his mouth after drinking or sipping the coffee. And yes this riddle is in the mediem section of the riddles. My sister and I were joking about possible reasons that the barman could know his identity, and your first two guesses came up. I like your third guess though another was that the barman was dating the fireman(only my sister could come up with an idea like that).
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wowbagger
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Re: What happened III
« Reply #3 on: Mar 18th, 2003, 7:03am » |
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on Dec 8th, 2002, 5:40pm, jon_G wrote:| My sister and I were joking about possible reasons that the barman could know his identity, and your first two guesses came up. I like your third guess though another was that the barman was dating the fireman(only my sister could come up with an idea like that). |
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Or maybe the man isn't a fireman after all, but dating the barman. The latter could address him as "Mr Fireman" due to some past or planned, um, role-playing. 
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maryl
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The man did order two drinks-maybe he came in with his wife,and she was a fireman-or woman,hence-Mr. Fireman.
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Kitty
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maybe the bar man just said it sarcasticly. You know as a joke and he just happened to be a fireman. anyway, how many people go into a bar to ask for boiling hot coffee and ice water with it? 
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Boody
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Re: What happened III
« Reply #6 on: Mar 25th, 2003, 8:57am » |
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Maybe the simple answer is :
there is really a fire somewhere in this bar.
People go out all except the fire brigades which arrive.
And a fireman is thirsty.
Maybe "cold" and "hot" are not important.
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Speaker
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Re: What happened III
« Reply #7 on: Mar 27th, 2003, 2:21am » |
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I think that boody is on the right track.
There is a fire in the bar. Hence the only firemen are coming in. The fireman orders a boiling cup of coffee, thus indicating that the source of the fire is the coffee machine. He is essentially telling the barman to take the pot off the fire, or stove or whatever. Then, being a calm, cool and collected professional firefighter, he requests a glass of water, with ice, to throw on the fire. Which he does and extinguishes it proving himself the hero he always dreamed of becoming as a child.
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towr
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Re: What happened III
« Reply #8 on: Mar 27th, 2003, 7:25am » |
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no fireman would poor icecold water into a burning hot coffepot, because that would make the coffeepot explode (or rather implode) creating a danger to everyone around..
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Kitty
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Re: What happened III
« Reply #9 on: Mar 29th, 2003, 11:19am » |
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on Mar 27th, 2003, 2:21am, Speaker wrote:| There is a fire in the bar. |
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The man walks into the bar, I mean if there a fire would not he run in? Also the barman does not seem to be panicky which I think a barman would if his bar is on fire.
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Boody
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Re: What happened III
« Reply #10 on: Apr 15th, 2003, 4:53am » |
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jon_G could you please reword (modify) the title.
Thanks.
(example: A coffee and a glass of water for Mr. fireman)
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mistysakura
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Re: What happened III
« Reply #11 on: Apr 15th, 2003, 9:57pm » |
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I heard a really stupid answer: He was wearing his fireman's costume. Yeah right. 
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aero_guy
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Re: What happened III
« Reply #12 on: Apr 15th, 2003, 10:20pm » |
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That is the "real" answer.
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