Random reminder

Press, 9 August 1980, Page 22

Random reminder

KNOCK, KNOCK

Readers of a recent Random Reminder story relating to an incident At the Safari Park, unbeknown to interested in another animal story from across the Tasman.

A family had planned a Sunday trip from Brisbane to a Safari Park on the way to the Gold Coast. Puring the | morning, Father was invited to join a [ pal for a beer or two at the local lollywater “dispensary.” Mum reluctantly agreed provided he was home early for the trip. One beer led to another — and- so on. His belated arrival, rather the worse for the “session” at the pub, attracted a nagging from his fuming spouse, but they eventually took off in the heat of a Queensland noon. At the safari park, unbeknown to Mum and Dad, Junior in the back seat had wound down his window, thus enabling an ambling elephant to thrust his trunk inside the car. A terrified Junior quickly wound up the window catching Jumbo’s trunk, inflicting a certain amount of pain on the poor beast.

Letting out an awful squeal the scared creature reacted by kicking at

the. door panel. Realising that their acquaintance was unsuitazle as a pet. they smartly loosened the window and with frayed tempers sped away, calling it a day. On the way home, they were held up by a traffic block caused by an accident. The “Friendly Policeman” at the scene eventually strolled along to the family car, where Dad was having a snooze while he waited for the road to clear. The officer asked him — “Are you all right?” to which he answered that he was.

“What happened to your car? — have you had an accident?” Father sleepily replied — “An elephant kicked it in.” The alert officer, who had smelt the driver’s breath, thought — “Ah, Smart Alec,” and immediately produced his little bag, requesting the driver to please blow into it. Result — $3OO fine and loss of licence for nine months.

The central figure in this incident, is still probably ruefully ruminating that it doesn’t always pay to tell the whole truth.