“I see.”
“I’ve already gone over my declaration allowance,” she continued. “Would you possibly be able to hide it under your cassock until we get through customs?”
The priest looked slightly uncomfortable.
“My child, I would be happy to help, but there’s one problem.”
“What problem?”
“I cannot lie.”
The woman smiled confidently.
“Father, you have such an honest face. I’m sure they’ll never ask you anything too complicated.”
She handed him the neatly packaged device.
After a moment of hesitation, the priest tucked it carefully beneath his cassock.
The flight continued without incident.
When they landed, the passengers made their way toward customs.
The woman watched from a short distance away as the priest approached the inspection desk.
The customs officer smiled politely.
“Good afternoon, Father. Do you have anything to declare?”
The priest paused.
He remembered his promise.
“I cannot lie,” he thought.
The officer raised an eyebrow.
“Well?”
The priest finally answered.
“From the waist up, I have absolutely nothing to declare.”
The customs officer nodded.
“Very good.”
Then he glanced at the priest’s rather bulky cassock.
“And from the waist down?”
The priest sighed.
“Well… apparently, I have something designed to remove unwanted hair.”
The customs officer stared at him.
The priest stared back.
For several seconds, neither man said a word.
Then the officer burst out laughing.
“So that’s what you’re carrying!”
The priest smiled.
“I told the lady I couldn’t lie.”
By this point, the woman was standing several feet away, trying desperately not to laugh.
The customs officer looked at her.
“Is this yours?”
She nodded.
“Yes.”
He handed the package back to the priest.
“Next time, Father, I’d recommend declaring it properly.”
The priest smiled politely.
“Thank you. And next time, I’ll remember one important lesson.”
“What lesson?”
“Never agree to carry something for someone who begins the conversation by saying, ‘Don’t worry, Father. They won’t ask you any questions.’”
The woman finally burst out laughing.
The customs officer shook his head.
And the priest walked away, carefully carrying his unexpected Swiss souvenir.
From that day forward, he had a new rule:
If someone asks you to hide something under your clothes, always ask exactly what it is first.
