Almost There
Hi Guys. I hope you’re well. I’ve been a little scarce this week because I’m on the home straight with my new book and it’s requiring my full attention. I plan to be finished by next Friday (Oct. 29) – at which time it will be put into the hands of the lovely Em (from Jem) for all the design(y), layout(y), artistic(y), graphic(y) get-ready-to-print stuff. If I’m getting too technical at any stage, let me know. Anyhoozle, the final product goes to the printer in a few weeks and the plan is to have books in our fat little hands by November 29. I’m a little excited.
Ho, ho, ho.
I think it’s gonna be a cracker and I’m pretty sure it will offend and alienate as many as it motivates and engages. No shock there. It’s a get-your-shit-together (type of) book for people who don’t necessarily warm to typical personal-development stuff. If nothing else, it will make a great (albeit expensive) coaster for your tea, coffee or beer.
Stay tuned.
As you know, I rarely publish anything written by anyone else (except CJ) but something came across my desk this morning which made me think, feel and laugh - a nice combo. It’s a conundrum of sorts and I thought you might find it interesting. It’s a bit philosophical, a bit cerebral and towards the end, a little bit funny. I don’t know where it (originally) came from so I can’t even credit the writer but I will thank my friend Ailsa for sending it my way. Enjoy your weekend and be the change.
Here it is, exactly as I received it:
You are driving down the road in your car on a wild, stormy night, when you pass by a bus stop and you see three people waiting for the bus:
1. An old lady who looks as if she is about to die.
2. A very old friend who once saved your life.
3. The perfect partner you have been dreaming about.
Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing that there could only be one passenger in your car? Think before you continue reading. This is a moral/ethical dilemma that was once actually used as part of a job application.
You could pick up the old lady because she is going to die, and thus you should save her first. Or you could take the old friend because he once saved your life, and this would be the perfect chance to pay him back. However, you may never be able to find your perfect mate again.
Well…
The candidate who was hired (out of 200 applicants) had no trouble coming up with his answer. He simply answered: “I would give the car keys to my old friend and let him take the lady to the hospital. I would stay behind and wait for the bus with the partner of my dreams.”
Sometimes, we gain more if we are able to give up our stubborn thought limitations. Never forget to think outside of the box.
However…
The correct answer is to run the old lady over and put her out of her misery, have sex with the perfect partner on the bonnet of the car, then drive off with the old friend for a few beers. God, I just love happy endings!
Well, there you have it. I’m not really sure about the ‘correct’ answer but it did make me laugh. 
So, were you with the ’1′ or the ’199′?
* Don’t forget my new kid’s book (The Angry Ant) is out now! Love this article? Sign up for my FREE Email Newsletter today to receive more articles like this, and get my FREE Ebook!
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
hahahhahah that’s funny
I picked up the old lady, gave my phone number to my perfect partner, and said hello to my friend.
I figured my friends are very capable of hanging out there a little longer and any perfect partner of mine would be able to for sure..
Oh BTW I didn’t interpret old friend as an aged one..
*rolls eyes* If I was asked this in an interview unless it was the dream job I would go – save all three. That’s me. Don’t hire me.
Actually it is “thinking outside the box”.
Who said I’m fair?
congrats on ur progress with the book
Oh my goodness. This has just made me realize how selfish I could be. I choose number 3.
Be a friend.
Cool!
Just made me realise how stupid I am I choose No.1
Nothing like a good ol’ ethical dilemma for a Friday
2 parts
part 1. 5 people are about to be hit by a car….you can
1. watch in horror
2. save one by putting yourself at risk and diving to push one out of the way
either 4 people die or 5 people die…
most people will save 1…
part 2. same situation but you are now standing on a bridge overhead and there is a really fat man standing looking down. (He hasn’t heard of Craig Harper) He’s so big that if you push him off the bridge in front of the car you can save all 5 people because the car will change path / stop or whatever.You can save 5 lives !
Most people won’t push the man off the bridge….
It gets even more interesting if you say the fat man is – young / old / single / has a young family / has terminal cancer / just witnessed his child dying….
…just remember you are human after all.
I handed my keys over too, however I”m kinda wishing I’d bonked the perfect guy in the car first, because bus shelter’s are kinda manky! ew..
Hi Craig,
I would choose the old lady because she was suffering, take her to the hospital and return with a larger vehicle to accommodate the other two or send help once at the hospital.
But the end was so hilarious that I may take your choice!
Craig just like to mention I am soooo excited about your book (I constantly print your blogs to refer back to them) and having read your blogs over the years your knowledge has guided and helped me through my life.
I constantly talk about how inspirational you have been to me to sooo many people and now I will be able to recommended you book from experience.
I thank you and wish you lots and lots of luck with it. I believe it will become a No 1 seller.
You don’t think the old friend would have told him where to go, he was “sick of saving peoples lives when they didn’t even say thankyou”?
Ian, you gave exactly the same answer I thought of, except it was a hug for the friend, before I looked at the blog comments!
Speaking from experience I would not let the old lady in the car with the perfect partener and a friend cause she might die.
As happened to me once, (when younger) out clubbing picked up a girl, diving her and my “Best” mate home in my car pulled up at a set of lights ,
my “Best” mate was doing the deed with my girl!!! in my car in my back seat!
Then again a least the little old lady would be a bit more respectful!
1. I would ring for the ambos to get the old lady to the emergency department. (Driving her to the hospital is an exercise fraught with danger-what if she has an infarct on the way there. I’m snookered trying to drive and perform CPR at the same time).
2. I would ring for a cab for my good friend and pay for their ride.
3. Perfect partner and I could drive to a nice restaurant, enjoy an 8 course degustation menu and become acquainted.
Problem solvered.
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