The Knowledgeable Man 



I HAD allowed myself to drift into the belief that that 

 breed of human known to rural Ireland as ' The 

 Knowledgeable Man " had, long ago, been extinct. 

 Such cherished dreams were completely shattered the 

 other day at a quiet cross-roads. 



" I beg your pardon," said I, bringing my car to a 

 halt. " Which of these roads do I take to Newcastle ? " 



" It would be absurd to take either o' them because 

 their cubic capacity couldn't find accommodation in 

 your vehicle." 



" Glory be to God," said I to myself, dazedly, " what's 



the man talking about ! " And then, rubbing my eyes 



to make sure I was really awake, I made another effort : 



' Which of these roads will bring me to Newcastle ? " 



" Neither'll bring you if you're not wishful to go." 



" I see," said I, lacking any retort more brilliant, for 

 it was too early in the morning to have one's wits on 

 the alert. 



" On the other hand," continued my tormentor, " if 

 you will give me a lift I will demonstrate the appropriate 

 route, as I was proceeding to Newcastle personally." 



I looked at the man and decided to give him a lift. 

 He knew the road, and whether he was a normal or 

 abnormal specimen I felt more than his match physically 



129 



