Puzzle

Sometimes when I finish work I just want to get on the train and go to sleep…

All the way home.

You have to finish my sentences, too? But yes. All the way.

Work went well?

Was OK. But I met Larry or Harry whatisname having a coffee before he tootled off. You know him. And reading…

Don’t tell. The Economist.

No brainer. You know that. Everyone knows that’s all he reads. And he tells them.

To anyone that will listen anymore.

Anyway, he asked me if I was going home by train and I said yes I was, today, because I wanted to snatch 40, and maybe do a puzzle…

Since when you do puzzles on the train?

Well, since, well, last week.

Ha!

But listen. It must be good for the aging brain. You have to finish it before you get off the train. I just managed it.

What was it?

The puzzle? 4 years ago, Margaret was 7 times older than Joan. Margaret is now 3 times older than Joan. 3 more years, Joan will be half as old as Margaret now. How old are they now?

Ha. Easy-peasey. Mental arithmetic. Answer is… give me a sec. Margaret is 18, Joan is 6. Right?

Right. How come you did that so quickly?

Call that a puzzle? How long did it take you?

Er – bit longer. Nakano to Kichijoji. Bit of margin scribbling. But I reckon I mended some synapses, so much so that I remembered to buy chocolate at the little shop.

Oooh! You’re forgiven.

For?

For being a dunce.