The Perfect Opportunity
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series IV, Cycle A
Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. (v. 13)
During World War II, a lieutenant was accompanying his general on a trip while in the United States. They were traveling aboard a civilian passenger train from their base to a base in another state. After boarding the train, they found their booth, which was already occupied by two other passengers - an attractive young woman and her elderly grandmother. Throughout the trip, the four of them visited easily.
Then at one point, the train entered a long tunnel. The car turned to complete blackness. All four passengers sat silent in total darkness. All of a sudden two distinct sounds were heard. First there was the smooch of a kiss. This was then followed by the loud sound of a slap. Then there was silence again.
As the train continued through the dark tunnel, each of the four passengers was evaluating what had just occurred. The young woman was thinking to herself how glad she was that the young lieutenant had mustered enough courage to kiss her, but she was somewhat disappointed that her grandmother had slapped him for doing it. The general was thinking to himself how proud he was of his young lieutenant for acting on his romanticism and kissing the attractive young woman. If he were twenty years younger, he would have kissed her himself. However, the general was also flabbergasted that the young lady slapped him instead of the lieutenant. Now, the grandmother is astonished to think that the young lieutenant would have the gall to kiss her granddaughter, but she is proud of her granddaughter for slapping him for doing it.
Meanwhile, the young lieutenant is completely satisfied. He is trying to hold back his laughter, for he was prepared to take advantage of the perfect opportunity to kiss an attractive young girl and slap his superior officer all at the same time!
The moral: One must be prepared for the opportunity when it arrives.
During World War II, a lieutenant was accompanying his general on a trip while in the United States. They were traveling aboard a civilian passenger train from their base to a base in another state. After boarding the train, they found their booth, which was already occupied by two other passengers - an attractive young woman and her elderly grandmother. Throughout the trip, the four of them visited easily.
Then at one point, the train entered a long tunnel. The car turned to complete blackness. All four passengers sat silent in total darkness. All of a sudden two distinct sounds were heard. First there was the smooch of a kiss. This was then followed by the loud sound of a slap. Then there was silence again.
As the train continued through the dark tunnel, each of the four passengers was evaluating what had just occurred. The young woman was thinking to herself how glad she was that the young lieutenant had mustered enough courage to kiss her, but she was somewhat disappointed that her grandmother had slapped him for doing it. The general was thinking to himself how proud he was of his young lieutenant for acting on his romanticism and kissing the attractive young woman. If he were twenty years younger, he would have kissed her himself. However, the general was also flabbergasted that the young lady slapped him instead of the lieutenant. Now, the grandmother is astonished to think that the young lieutenant would have the gall to kiss her granddaughter, but she is proud of her granddaughter for slapping him for doing it.
Meanwhile, the young lieutenant is completely satisfied. He is trying to hold back his laughter, for he was prepared to take advantage of the perfect opportunity to kiss an attractive young girl and slap his superior officer all at the same time!
The moral: One must be prepared for the opportunity when it arrives.
