We spent a day in the country, picking wild flowers. With the car full of flowers we were going home. On our way back my wife noticed a cupboard outside a furniture shop (家具店). It was tall and narrow. "Buy it," my wife said at once. "We'll carry it home on the roof rack. I've always wanted one like that. "
What could I do? Ten minutes later I was ￡20 poorer; and the cupboard was tied on the roof rack (车顶行李架). It was six feet long and eighteen inches square, quite heavy too.
In the gathering darkness I drove slowly. Other drivers seemed unusually polite that evening. The police even stopped traffic to let us through. Carrying furniture was a good idea.
After a time my wife said, "There's 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.
"Right, sir," he said. "Do you need any more help?"
I was a bit puzzled. "Thanks, officer," I said. "You have been very kind. I was just on the road. " He was staring at our car, first at the flowers, then at the cupboard. "Well, well," he said, laughing. "It's a cupboard you've got there! We thought it was something else. "
My wife began to laugh. 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.
