Every Friday night, a motley crew of local VIPs sat at Mrs. Thurlow's table, dressed to the nines and excited like children. She liked to invite educated, curious minds who appreciated her charming personality and rarely declined her invitations. Artists of the moment, established politicians, and up-and-coming writers and philosophers were her regular guests, as well as the occasional high-ranking churchman who provided the counterpoint to the zeitgeist of the age.

At the end of each dinner, Mrs. Thurlow would challenge her guests with a riddle that was eagerly anticipated by all.

"The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?" was the first riddle she posed, which to her delight and amazement, sparked a flurry of answers and amusement.

Aware of the intelligence and shrewdness of her guests, she would raise the bar as the weeks went by.

"I'm greater than God and more evil than the devil. The poor have me, the rich need me, and if you eat me, you'll die. What am I?"

But Mrs. Thurlow's efforts to make it more difficult for her guests did nothing but feed their already overstuffed egos. No matter how difficult the riddle, some of the guests always solved it.

"Nothing! The answer to the riddle is nothing!" exclaimed the bishop.

"Are you sure?" the politician asked .

"Absolutely sure! Nothing is greater than God.

Nothing is more evil than the devil.

The poor have nothing.

The rich need nothing.

And if you eat nothing, you die!"

"Oh, brilliant.," the philosopher congratulated with a forced smile, "I never would have thought of that — my God is really small," he said, as he poured himself a third glass of bourbon, "and very expensive too!" He laughed at his own joke, and some laughed with him. The clink of ice cubes echoed around the room as he raised his glass. “Tell me, Your Excellency, what do you think of alcohol?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

The bishop looked at him with a straight face, "I think it's a great disinfectant."

A round of laughter filled the room.

*Pictures by Freepik