Dr. Epstein was a renowned physician who  earned his undergraduate, graduate, and medical degrees in his home town and  then left for Manhattan, where he quickly rose to the top of his  field.

Soon he was invited to deliver a significant paper, at a  conference, coincidentally held in his home town. He walked on stage and  placed his papers on the lectern, but they slid off onto the floor. As he bent  over to retrieve them, at precisely the wrong instant, he inadvertently  farted.

The microphone amplified his mistake resoundingly through the  room and reverberated it down the hall.

He was quite embarrassed but  somehow regained his composure just enough to deliver his paper. He ignored  the resounding applause and raced out the stage door, never to be seen in his  home town again.

Decades later, when his elderly mother was ill, he  returned to visit her. He reserved a hotel room under the name of Levy and  arrived under cover of darkness.

The desk clerk asked him, "Is this  your first visit to our city, Mr. Levy?"

Dr. Epstein replied, "Well,  young man, no, it isn't. I grew up here and received my education here, but  then I moved away."

Why haven't you visited?" asked the desk  clerk.

Actually, I did visit once, many years ago, but an embarrassing  thing happened and since then I've been too ashamed to return."

The  clerk consoled him. "Sir, while I don't have your life experience, one thing I  have learned is that often what seems embarrassing to me isn't even remembered  by others. I bet that's true of your incident too."

Dr. Epstein  replied, "Son, I doubt that's the case with my incident."

"Was it a  long time ago?"

"Yes, many years."

The clerk asked, "Was it  before or after the Epstein Fart?"