As she went to bed

As she was getting into bed, the 81-year-old woman said to her 83-year-old husband:

“Listen, I just looked out the window and I think the garage light is on. Can you get up and turn it off?”

With great difficulty, the old man got out of bed, opened the door, and walked toward the garage. As he got closer, he saw five or six burglars trying to break into the garage, pounding on the door and working on the locks.

The old man immediately went back inside and called the police.

“Please write down my address,” he said. “It’s just my wife and me here, and five or six thieves are trying to break into my garage. Please send the police quickly.”

The dispatcher replied calmly,
“Sir, we have noted your address. Don’t worry, but at the moment no police team is available. We will send someone as soon as a team becomes free.”

Frustrated, the old man watched from inside as the burglars continued struggling with the garage locks. Two minutes later, he called the police again.

“Hello,” he said. “You don’t need to send anyone anymore. I just shot all five burglars.”

There was immediate panic at the police station.

Within five minutes, police cars, a helicopter, paramedics, three doctors, and two ambulances rushed to the scene. The burglars were quickly arrested—alive and unharmed.

The police chief approached the old man and asked angrily:

“Sir, you said you shot them! Why did you lie?”

The old man smiled and replied:

“And you said no police team was available, didn’t you?”