Zust the Ticket

Sir,

Cycling along Regent St. London recently I was amazed to see parked outside Hamleys toy shop a real Zust touring car. I would say it was late Edwardian period, well painted and completely original in chocolate and black with nice brass acetylene lamps. The registration prefix letters were BO.

Most of the unobservant public were not noticing as usual, until a fluffy blonde traffic warden arrived on the scene. She stood in front of it and slowly copied the word Zust on her pad. Then on her toes she reached up to afix the ticket on the windscreen.

When I approached her offering my congratulations she looked at me sternly and asked if it was my car. “No,” I replied, “I am congratulating you on being the first traffic warden in Britain and possibly the world to put a ticket on a Zust.” Her stern expression turned into a smile. “Do you think so?” she asked. “Yes”, I said, “you will be the toast of your division, they will probably give you a badge to wear on your uniform and even notify the Guinness book of records.” She left the scene quite ecstatic; no doubt the owner arrived feeling less so.

London, W1. – Eric Lister