A judge was instructing the jury that a witness was not necessarily to be regarded as untruthful because he changed his statement after he gave it to the police.
“For example.” he said, “when I entered my chambers today, I was positive that I had my gold watch in my pocket.
But then I remembered that I left in on my nightstand in my bedroom.”
When the judge returned home that evening, his wife asked him “Why so much urgency for your watch? Isn`t sending three men to pick it up for you a bit extreme?”
“What?” said the judge, “I didn`t send anyone for my watch, let alone three people. What did you do?”
“I gave it to the first one,” said the wife, “he knew exactly where it was,”