The tiny key in the asparagus soup

A couple went out to eat at a very fine French restaurant. It was their wedding anniversary, and they were looking forward to a quiet gourmet meal. They ordered many appetisers, a fresh salad, cream of asparagus soup, roast duck and chocolate mousse.

The service was extremely refined. The salad and appetisers were served with a flourish and were most delicious. Then the cream of asparagus soup was brought out in a large silver cauldron and served at the table into beautiful bowls.

The husband and wife were just about to eat their soup when, all of a sudden, the wife noticed a tiny key inside her soup. She got furious and screamed at the waiter, "How careless you are! Do you have any idea what I have just found inside my soup? A key! Can you imagine! What kind of restaurant is this? You have the most beautiful bowls, plus the most delicious food, but you have put a key in my soup. I am simply shocked at your carelessness!"

The waiter replied, "You are calling me careless? You should be proud of yourself!"

"I should be proud of myself? How preposterous of you!"

"Yes, you should be so proud of yourself for not swallowing my key! I have been looking everywhere for my key. I am extremely grateful to you for finding it. I am more proud of you than you can imagine, and you should also be extremely proud of yourself. How easily you could have swallowed my key by drinking all the soup without carefully looking!"

The wife was speechless. She simply gave a half-smile and continued to eat.