A boy and his father are riding in a London taxicab. The father is reading the Financial Times while the boy fiddles with a rectangular device and looks aimlessly out the window.
An idea suddenly comes to him. What if? He points the device at the taxi driver and pushes a button.
The driver stiffens momentarily then relaxes.
The boy isn’t sure. He does it again, a bit longer this time.
“Oouuff . . .” The driver makes a huffy sound and his hands jerk on the wheel. The taxi veers slightly. “Oohhh . . .” He exhales in relief as the boy releases the button.
“What going on?” his father says, putting down the paper. “What are you doing with that, son?”
“I was just seeing if it would work on . . .”
“Of course, it works. It works on all the idiots. Has the taxi driver done something wrong?”
“No, not really . . .”
“Well, it should only be done as part of their training. So the idiots can learn from their betters,” his father lectures. “Like that bellhop yesterday. His behavior was most unbecoming.”
“Yes . . .” The boy remembers the rude man at their hotel who didn’t salute them properly. His father showed him the device and let him give him a good sized zap. He remembers how the bellhop became more courteous after being straightened up, stiff as a board.
“But you can’t go zapping the idiots just for fun. It’s not a toy.” His father’s voice is calm but stern. “Here. Better give me that.”
“Okay . . .” The boy reluctantly hands it over. But not before upping the voltage and giving it one more squeeze.
“Aaeeiiah!” The taxi driver shouts out in pain.
