So Sorry

--Did you hear about the guy who was cutting pennies?--The who?

--Cutting pennies. He and his buds. In the Marines. They were cutting pennies to make them the size of dimes so they could put them in vending machines. He got brought up on charges. Obama pardoned him.

--Pardon? Did he got to prison?

--No, no, he went on and served in Vietnam. Then he went home and worked in a factory.

--So this all happened a long time ago?

--The coin-cutting, 42 years ago. The pardon, just this week.

--Why did it take so long?

--He didn't ask for a pardon until just 18 months ago.

--Why did he wait so long to ask?

--He didn't know he was convicted until he went to buy a gun. The background check turned up this old felony conviction.

--So Obama pardoned him?

--Yes.

--So now he's free to get a gun?

--I guess so.

--So the effect of the pardon is to put one more gun on the streets?

--I guess so.