The Man Who Wanted to Go Home
A man who had finished shopping and left the store came back a short while later. After chatting briefly with a clerk, he began helping a woman he didn’t know—who was at the register—pack her groceries. Why did he do that, even though he was in a hurry to get home?
Let’s unravel your preconceptions, one by one.
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3 Levels of Hints
Take it little by little, just as much as you need.
Hint 1
The woman finishing her errand would also help the man.
Hint 2
Outside the store, the man realized there was a reason he couldn’t leave right away.
Hint 3
There was something he wanted the woman to move outside the store.
Check the Answer
The truth behind this mystery
The woman’s car was blocking his, preventing him from leaving the parking lot. When he asked a clerk to call the car’s owner, he realized it was her. He helped pack her bags so she could finish shopping quickly and move her car—which would allow him to go home sooner.
If you notice this, you’ve got it right
The woman’s car was blocking the man’s car. Helping her so she could move her car quickly meant he could go home sooner.
Suggested questions and answers for group play
- Did the man and the woman know each other?
- No.
- Was the woman’s car blocking the man’s car?
- Yes.
- Did he ask a store clerk to call the car’s owner?
- Yes.
- Did he help pack the bags so the woman could move her car sooner?
- Yes.
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