There once lived a man who had a maddening passion for baked Beans. He loved them, but they always had an embarrassing and somewhat odourous reaction on him. However, one day he met a girl and fell in love.

When it became apparent that they would marry, he through to himself "she's such a sweet, gentle, fair girl, she'll never go for this kind of carrying on."

So he made the supreme sacrifice and gave up the beans. And they were married.

Some months later his car broke down on the way home from work and since they lived out in the country and he would have to walk home, he phoned his wife and told her he would be late.

On the way home he passed a small eating place and the smell of freshly baked beans was overwhelming. Since he would have several miles to walk, he figured that he would walk off any ill effects before he got home and so he stepped in.

Before he came out , he had eaten three large orders of baked beans. All the way home he phutt - phutted merrily and so felt reasonably safe when he got to the front door. His wife, quite excited at his arrival said "Darling, I have  the most wonderful surprise for dinner tonight."

She then blindfolded him and led him to his chair at the head of the table. He seated himself and just as she was ready to remove the blindfold the phone rang.

She made him promise not to remove the blindfold until she returned and then went out to answer the phone.

He seized the opportunity, shifted his weight onto one leg and let fly. It was not only loud, but it was ripe. He took his napkin and vigourously fanned the air about him.

He just had things back to normal when he felt another explosion coming. With amazing rapidity he shifed his weight onto his other leg and let go again.

This one was a true prize winner. He had  again to clear the air as well as he possibly could.

Keeping  his ear on the conversation in the hall he went on like this for some four minutes, until he heard the phone, farewell, and that his wife would soon return.

He arranged his plate, silverware and table napkin as well as he could in front of him, folded his hands on the edge of the table and smiling slightly, awaited her return.

After apologising for taking so long she asked if he had peeped, and of course answered quite truthfully that he had not.

With a flourish and smiling happily, she removed the blindfold............................................... and to his surprise

                                                                     WERE 12 DINNER GUESTS, SEATED AROUND HIS DINNER TABLE.