"Guillotine"

Three men stood on the platform waiting their turn to be beheaded
by guillotine; a priest, lawyer and architect/engineer. The
priest was taken to the block first and when asked whether he
wanted to face up or down, he said he wanted to face up in order
to see God when the blade struck. He was placed on the block with
his face up as requested and the huge blade was dropped, but the
blade stopped an inch above his neck! The crowd gasped. It was
considered a sign of his innocence and he was freed.

The lawyer was then led to the block and asked the same question.
He said he wanted to face down to see where he was going when the
blade struck. He was placed on the block with his face down and
the huge blade was dropped, but again it stopped an inch above
his neck! The crowd gasped! As before, this was considered a sign
of his innocence and he was freed.

When the architect/engineer was led to the block and asked which
way he wanted to face he said he wanted to face up and so he was
placed on the block with his face up looking at the blade and
scaffolding holding it. Seconds before the blade dropped, he
turned his head toward the executioner and said "STOP! I think I
see what the problem is".