Recently a routine police patrol parked outside a bar in small town.
After last call the officer noticed a man leaving the bar so intoxicated
that he could barely walk. The man stumbled around the parking lot for
a few minutes, with the officer quietly observing.
After what seemed an eternity in which he tried his keys on five
different vehicles, the man managed to find his car and fall into it. He sat
there for a few minutes as a number of other patrons left the bar and
drove off. Finally, he started the car, switched the wipers on and off -
it was a fine, dry summer night. Flicked the blinkers on and of a
couple of times, honked the horn and then switched on the lights. He moved
the vehicle forward a few inches, reversed a little and then remained
still for a few more minutes as some more of the other patrons' vehicles
left.
At last, when his was the only car left in the parking lot, he pulled
out and drove slowly down the road. The police officer, having waited
patiently all this time, now started up his patrol car, put on the
flashing lights, promptly pulled the man over and administered a Breathalyzer
test. To his amazement, the Breathalyzer indicated no evidence that the
man had consumed any alcohol at all! Dumbfounded, the officer said,
"I'll have to ask you to accompany me to the police station. This
Breathalyzer equipment must be broken."
"I doubt it," said the obviously sober man, "Tonight I'm the designated
decoy."