The officer looked directly at the driver and explained the challenge. “I want you to use three words in a single sentence: green, pink, and yellow.” The driver blinked several times. For the first time that evening, he seemed genuinely interested. He repeated the words quietly, trying to arrange them in his mind. Green. Pink. Yellow. He scratched his head, looked toward the patrol car, and then back at the officer. “That’s all?” he asked. The officer nodded. The driver smiled confidently, believing he had finally been given an opportunity to prove his intelligence.

He closed his eyes briefly and concentrated. His lips moved as he rehearsed possible sentences. The officer waited patiently, watching him struggle to organize his thoughts. A few seconds passed. Then the driver suddenly opened his eyes and raised one finger. “I’ve got it!” he announced proudly. The officer leaned forward slightly, curious about what he would say. The driver took a deep breath, straightened his jacket, and began speaking with the confidence of someone delivering an important speech. His first words, however, made the officer pause.