I was on a bus in Yosemite. The bus driver told us the funniest questions he’d been asked. First, a lady came up and asked, “Why are the waterfalls turned off? And are they going to turn them back on this week?” He thought she was joking, so he said, “Well California is going through a drought, so we’re playing our part.” She went and told her family what he told her. She wasn’t joking. Another time someone ran up fast and asked, “Can you call someone? A bear escaped its cage!” The driver just said “Yeah I’ll contact somebody.”
Ed. Note: Very occasionally, we receive a piece from a young writer and love giving their work a space. George’s use of a straightforward structure and strong writing let the absurdity of the tourists’ questions shine through.
George Ellor is an eleven-year-old who dreams a lot and thinks bears are cool.