A duck walks into a pub ...

A duck walks into a pub and sits himself down on a stool by the bar. "Pint of bitter please," says the duck to the barman.

"Certainly sir," the barman says, pouring up the pint. "Pardon me for saying so," he adds, "but we don't often get talking ducks in here..."

"Well, I don't usually come out at lunchtimes, our bosses don't like us drinking during our lunch hour," replies the duck.

"Oh, where do you work then?" asks the barman.

"At the pharmaceutical R&D place down the road," the duck replies. "Not for much longer, though. I've just found out I'm being made redundant next year. That's why I've come out for a drink."

"I'm sorry to hear that," says the barman.

"Yes," says the duck, "it's going to be tough to find work in the current climate. I don't know what I'm going to do."

"Well," says the barman, "I could always have a word with my brother. Talking ducks are very unusual. My brother runs a circus, and I'm sure he could find some work for a duck like you."

"That's very good of you," says the duck, "but why on earth would your brother's circus need an NMR spectroscopist?"