The Missing Bear

A man walks into a pub, without a bear.

"Hey Bob," says the barman, "Didn't you have a bear with you last week? Massive creature, looked scary. What happened to him?"

"Well," Bob replies, "I staggered out the pub with him, was walking home, and from out an alley jumped a circus ringmaster. 'How much for the bear?!" he asked me. 'The bear's not for sale!" I told him, but he wasn't having any of it, and pulled out a knife. 'OK, OK, you can have the bear,' I said. 'I'm glad you saw sense,' he said, and made me sign a contract for the bear to perform with the circus for the next ten years."

"That's terrible," said the barman. "A contract indeed! What's that poor bear going to do now?"

"It's OK. If the worst comes to the worst he can always use his get-out claws."