An Arab was walking through the Sahara Desert, desperate for water, when he saw something far off in the distance. Hoping to find water, he walked towards the image, only to find a little Jewish man sitting at a card table with a bunch of ties laid out on it. The Arab asked, "Please, I'm dying of thirst, can I have some water?"
The man replied, "I don't have any water, but why don't you buy a tie? Here's one that goes nicely with your robe." The Arab shouted, "I don't want a tie, you idiot, I need water!" "OK, don't buy a tie. But to show you what a nice guy I am, I'll tell you that over that hill there, about four miles, is a nice restaurant. Walk that way, they'll give you all the water you want."
The Arab thanked him and walked away towards the hill and eventually disappeared. Three hours later the Arab came crawling back to where the man was sitting behind his card table. "I told you, about four miles over that hill. Couldn't you find it?"
The Arab rasped, "I found it all right. They wouldn't let me in without a tie."