An Irishman moves into a tiny hamlet in County Kerry, walks into the
pub and promptly orders three beers.

The bartender raises his eyebrows, but serves the man three beers,
which he drinks quietly at a table, alone.

An hour later, the man has finished the three beers and orders three
more.

This happens yet again.

The next evening the man again orders and drinks three beers at a time,
several times. Soon the entire town is whispering about the Man Who
Orders Three Beers.

Finally, a week later, the bartender broaches the subject on behalf of
the town. "I don't mean to pry, but folks around here are wondering why
you always order three beers?"

'Tis odd, isn't it?" the man replies, "You see, I have two brothers,
and one went to America, and the other to Australia. We promised each
other that we would always order an extra two beers whenever we drank
as a way of keeping up the family bond."

The bartender and the whole town was pleased with this answer, and soon
the Man Who Orders Three Beers became a local celebrity and source of
pride to the hamlet, even to the extent that out-of-towners would come
to watch him drink.

Then, one day, the man comes in and orders only two beers. The bartender
pours them with a heavy heart. This continues for the rest of the evening -
he orders only two beers. The word flies around town. Prayers are offered
for the soul of one of the brothers.

The next day, the bartender says to the man, "Folks around here, me first
of all, want to offer condolences to you for the death of your brother.
You know-the two beers and all..."

The man ponders this for a moment, then replies, "You'll be happy to hear
that my two brothers are alive and well.

It's just that I, meself, have decided to give up drinking for Lent."