A sheriff’s deputy stops a man for speeding on I-57 in Missouri. The driver is dressed in a tux with tails and there’s a top hat on the front seat beside him.

"What’s the big hurry?" asks the deputy. "I clocked you at 20 miles over the speed limit."

The driver admits he was speeding but only to be sure he won’t be late for a scheduled performance in a few hours in Branson. The driver claims he is a magician and juggler.

"A juggler!" says the deputy with delight. "I’m an amateur juggler myself — I’d sure love to see you juggle."

The magician/juggler looks a bit startled but quickly realizes he has a chance to work himself out of a speeding ticket.

"Would you juggle for me?" asks the deputy, "I’ve never seen a live juggling performance."

"I’d be glad to," says the magician, but I sent all my stuff ahead by freight and it’s all in Branson right now. I have nothing to juggle with."

Not to miss a great opportunity like this, the deputy tells the magician, "Just a second, young man, I may have something you can use." The deputy opens the trunk of his patrol car and removes four highway flares. He lights the flares and hands them to the juggler. "That ought to work," says the deputy.

Realizing that this is actually a command performance, the magician/juggler begins an impromptu act for the deputy. Turns out, the juggling performance is flawless. The deputy thanks the man and sends him on his way.

As the deputy turns to get back in his patrol car, he notices a car has parked behind him. The driver walks up to the officer with his wrists extended forward. "Go ahead and handcuff me now," the stranger says to the deputy. "You might as well lock me up now. I saw that guy doing your roadside sobriety test. No way in the world I can ever pass that test."