WHEELBARROW THEFT
Added on: 24th Mar 2015
HERE'S A STORY SET JUST AFTER THE
SECOND WORLD (1939-45) WAR
AT PORTSMOUTH DOCKYARD.
ONE DAY A MINISTRY OF DEFENCE POLICEMAN
STOPPED A WORKER WHO WAS
WALKING OUT OF THE DOCKYARD GATES
PUSHING A WHEELBARROW WITH A
SUSPICIOUS LOOKING PACKAGE IN IT.
THE POLICEMAN OPENED THE PACKAGE AND
FOUND IT CONTAINED NOTHING BUT SOME
OLD BITS OF RUBBISH, SAWDUST
AND FLOOR-SWEEPINGS.
THE NEXT DAY HE STOPPED THE SAME WORKER
WHO WAS AGAIN PUSHING A WHEELBARROW
CONTAINING A SUSPICIOUS LOOKING PACKAGE.
ONCE MORE IT CONTAINED NOTHING OF ANY VALUE.
THE SAME THING HAPPENED SEVERAL DAYS
ON THE TROT, UNTIL THE POLICEMAN FINALLY
SAID, “OK, I GIVE UP.
I KNOW YOU ARE UP TO SOMETHING,
BUT I JUST CAN'T TELL WHAT.
PLEASE, I PROMISE NOT TO ARREST YOU,
BUT PUT ME OUT OF MY MISERY;
TELL ME WHAT YOU ARE STEALING.”
“WHEELBARROWS”
SMILED THE WORKER,
“I'M STEALING WHEELBARROWS.”
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