There was this famous actor who hadn’t had a role for some
time.
After many years he finds a theatre where they are prepared to give
him a chance to shine again.
The director says, “This is the most important part, and it has
only one line.
You walk on to the stage at the opening carrying a rose.
You hold the rose to your nose with just one finger and thumb,
sniff the rose deeply and then say the line, ‘Ah, the sweet aroma
of my mistress.’”
The actor is thrilled.
All day long before the play he’s practicing his line over and over
again.
Finally, the time came.
The curtain went up, the actor walked onto the stage, and holding
his fingers to his nose he delivered the line, “Ah, the sweet aroma
of my mistress!”
The theatre erupted, the audience was screaming with laughter and
the director was steaming! “You bloody fool!” he cried, “You have
ruined me!”
The actor was bewildered, “What happened? Did I forget my
line?”
“No!” screamed the director. “You forgot the bloody rose!”
