An old grey nomad caravans into town and needs to make a few bucks as he's sailing fairly close to the wind and needs to stock up on fuel and groceries. He gets word from a couple of friendly locals he meets in the pub that the local parish priest is looking for a volunteer to paint his church. The next morning the grey nomad goes around to the church to see the priest and if he still needs the work done. "Sure do, my son", replies the priest, "but I can't pay any more than what the paint will cost. Times are tough and the parishioners just don't seem to be putting as much on the plate these days as they used too." "How much paint do you think it'll take to get the job done?" asks the grey nomad, a little uncertain now about taking the job on. "At least eight litres" replies the priest. "That would be two four litre cans of paint. It's been a long time since the church was last painted, and so it's important that it gets at least two coats." Suddenly the grey nomad gets an idea. "I'll do the job for you, father. No wages required, just give me what the paint will cost, and leave the rest to me. The job will be finished before sundown tomorrow." "Brilliant, my son!" replies the priest, who promptly hands over to the grey nomad $160, explaining that the paint will cost $20 per litre.

The grey nomad goes to the local hardware store and buys just four litres of paint, paying $80, figuring that if he waters down the paint at a ratio of 1:1 he can paint the whole church with two coats and the priest surely would not recognise that each coat had been watered down. This way he could secretly pocket the remaining $80 to cover the cost of his fuel and groceries. He then goes over to the church and spends the next two days painting.

When finished he calls the priest over and they both stand back admiring the job. "I must admit, my son, that it doesn't look as smick as I'd expected, however as you've given it a good two coats then it should do." Suddenly the ground begins to tremble and a low rumble begins to get louder and louder. Then a flash of lightening streaks across the sky with a thunderous roar, and a loud voice bellows and echoes across the sky:

"Repaint, and never thin again."