worse?

One day, two deputies in the Sheriff's Office answered anemergency call at a farmhouse. When they walked in, they foundthe nude bodies of a man and a woman in the bedroom. They hadbeen shot to death. When they went to the living room, they foundthe body of a man with a gun at his side.

"No doubt about it," one deputy said to the other. "This was adouble murder and suicide. This guy came home and found his wifein bed with somebody else and shot them both. Then he shothimself."

"You're right," the other deputy replied. "Double murder andsuicide. But I'll bet you when the sheriff gets here he's goingto say 'it could have been worse.'"

"No way. How could it be worse? There are three people in thehouse, and all of them have been shot to death. It couldn't beworse. You're on.

"About that time, the sheriff arrived at the scene. He walked intothe bedroom and saw the two nude bodies. He then walked into theliving room and saw the man on the floor with the gun by hisside.

"No doubt about it," the sheriff said, shaking his head. "It wasa double murder and suicide. This guy came home and found hiswife in bed with somebody else and shot them both. Then he shothimself.

"After hesitating for a moment, the old sheriff looked hisdeputies squarely in the eyes. "But, you know," he said, "itcould have been worse.

"The deputy who had lost the bet jumped up and shouted, "Sheriff,how could it have been worse? There are three people in thisfarmhouse, and all three of them are dead. It couldn't have beenworse??"

"Yes it could," the sheriff replied. "You see that guy there onthe floor? If he had come home yesterday, that would be me inthere in that bed!"