One day, a very short man went to the doctor. “Help me, doctor!” he said. “I used to be six feet tall, but now I’m only four feet tall. I think I’m shrinking! You have to help me right now! NOW, doctor!” The doctor looked down at him with a very serious expression on his face and said…
“I think I can help you, but first you’ve got to learn to be a little patient.”
Why is it funny?
There are two meanings of the word “patient.” One is an adjective that means “able to tolerate delays or problems without becoming upset.” The other is a noun that means “someone with a medical condition who goes to see a doctor.” “Be a little patient” can mean either be a small-sized patient, or have a little bit of patience and calm down.