A good story

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Schuster: I was returning across the border from Poland. In the rear-

view mirror I see a green car pull out and start following me. It passes and then a sign on the roof flashes: "Zoll. Follow me," Turns off the autobahn and into a big warehouse and clang the doors shut and two green uniformed customs officers run at the car with guns yelling “Get out, hands up!” I thought, “Shall I run straight at them and try to drive through the doors?” But I get out and think I can use my German skills to talk my way out of this. They look inside the car shouting "Haben Sie Ziggaretten!" all the time. One says, “Nothing here.” Then they check my passport. And the senior one says, "I thought you were Polish. You are a Schuster? I also am a Schuster. Maybe we are related.”

 

Brandt: What a coincidence. You were related?

 

Schuster: There are hundreds of Schusters living on the border of Germany and Poland. Actually I distorted the story. His name wasn’t Schuster. His supervisor’s name was Schuster.

 

Brandt: Why did you say it was?

 

Schuster: Doesn’t make for such a good story.

 

Brandt: I wonder how many news events and urban legends are merely stories that have been distorted like that?

 

Schuster: It could be called editing.

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