“You can put your wet stuff on the back seat, we’ll be on the road for a while,” the driver prompted him. “Good timing, it’s just getting started!” The older man directed the car onto the motorway, pulling into the middle lane. Through the lowered side window the occupant called out to him: “Jump in, I’m going your way.” Quickly he opened the door and slipped into the passenger seat, his backpack and the soaked cardboard sign between his legs. He was just about to run back to the service station for shelter when a car stopped shortly in front of him.
