Mr. Green was going on business to Paris for a week. He would go there by train. Before he left, he said to his son, "If anyone asks for me, tell them that your father is out, and will be back in a week."
"OK, Dad." said his son. But Mr. Green was afraid that his son couldn't remember this, he wrote these words down on a piece of paper. His son put the paper into his pocket (口袋).
Four days passed, but no one came to see Mr. Green. The boy thought no one would come, so he burnt (烧掉) the piece of paper that evening. The next afternoon, a man knocked at the door.
"Where is your father?" he asked. The boy put his hand into his pocket at once and looked for the piece of paper. He could not find it. He suddenly remembered he had burnt it, so he shouted, "No more."
The man was very surprised. "No more? I met your father last week. When did it happen?" he asked.
"Burnt yesterday evening." the boy answered.
