The curate begins: "When I found the bear, I read to him from the Catechism and sprinkled him with holy water. Next week is his First Communion."
"I found a bear near the stream," says the minister, "and preached God's holy word. The bear was so mesmerized that he let me baptise him."
They both look down at the rabbi, who is lying on a gurney in a body cast. "Looking back," he says, "maybe I shouldn't have started with the circumcision."
"Should have + done" corresponds to something that didn't happen, but that we wish had happened. It expresses regret, if you will. A sort of advice but in the past. Of course in the joke the rabbi uses the negative, meaning he did do something he wishes he hadn't.
| Regret of past inaction | Example |
|---|---|
| I didn't study enough for the exam | I really should have studied harder for the exam tomorrow. |
| Henry had pain but decided not to see a doctor. | Henry should have made an appointment with Dr Duruy. |
| The mechanic didn't repair my car and I have a trip soon. | That mechanic should have fixed my car. I'm going to change garages. |
