A retired and well to do colonel was in the city when he noticed a down and out begging. The colonel recognised the man as his former batman and he approached the ex-soldier, who poured out a sorry story of bad luck and mistakes.
“Now look here, old chap” said the colonel “I’ve a decent country pile and need some help around the house and that sort of stuff. We’ll get you cleaned up and you can start right away”.
The old soldier was duly grateful but asked how might serve his old colonel. “You can start off as though you were my batman as in the old days and just do exactly as you did then” replied the colonel.
The following morning at 0700 sharp, there was a tap on the colonel’s bedroom door, in came the old soldier with a cup of tea. He opened the curtains, placed the tea beside the colonel and wished him a good morning, with a brief word about the weather. He then went to the other side of the bed, pulled back the covers, smacked the colonel’s wife smartly across the bottom and said: “It’s back to the village with you my girl”!