We spent a day in the country, picking wild flowers. Our car looked like a flower shop inside! On the way home we had to stop at traffic lights, and then my wife noticed the cupboard. It was tall and narrow, and it stood outside a furniture shop. "Buy it," she said at once. "We'll carry it home on the roofrack (行李架). I've always wanted one like that." What could I do? Ten minutes later I was £20 poorer, and the cupboard was tied on to the roofrack. The police even stopped traffic to let us through. Carrying furniture was a good idea. After a time my wife said, "There is a long line of cars behind. Why don't they overtake, I wonder?" In fact a police car did overtake. The two officers inside looked at us seriously as they passed. But then with great kindness, they led us through the rush-hour traffic. The police car stopped at our village church. One of the officers came to me. I was puzzled. "Thanks, officer," I said. "You've been very kind. I have just down the road." He was staring at our load: first at the flowers, then at the cupboard. "Well, well," he said, laughing, "It's a cupboard you've got here! We thought it was…er, something else." My wife began to laugh. Then the truth hit me like a stone between the eyes. I smiled at the officer. "Yes, it's a cupboard, but thanks again." I drove home as fast as I could. |