One Saturday night, a man walked into a bar in New York and ordered four beers. The bartender brought them and noticed that the guy solemnly lifted each one for a moment before drinking it down.

This went on every Saturday for a couple of months, and finally the bartender could contain his curiosity no longer. “Say buddy,” he said, “you mind if I ask you something? What’s with the four beers and all?”

The man said, “Ah, well, you see I’m from Ireland, and I left behind three brothers when I came to America. Back in the old country, we had a custom of gettin’ together every Saturday and havin’ a pint together, and when I left we made a pact that we’d each continue the custom. So this glass is for me, and these are for me three brothers.”

A few weeks later the man came in as usual, but this time he ordered only three beers. The bartender watched as he silently lifted each one, and drank it down. Then he went over to the customer and said, “I’m sorry for your loss, friend.”

The man looked puzzled. “What d’you mean?”

The bartender said,” Well, for a long time now you’ve been coming in here and ordering four beers, and you’ve told me that you drink them in honor of your brothers back in the old country… and now tonight you ordered only three, so it seems that one of your brothers has died, and I’d just like to give you my condolences.”

“Oh, that,” the man said. “No,no, everyone is fine. One of me brothers has given up beer for Lent.”