After many years, a semi-retired Irish actor finds himself in the Globe Theatre in London , where they were prepared to give him a chance to shine again.
The director says: "This is a most important part, and it has only one line. You walk on to the stage carrying a rose. You hold the rose to your nose with one finger and thumb, sniff the rose deeply and then say the line "Ah, the sweet aroma of my mistress."
The Irish actor is thrilled. All day long before the play he practised his line over and over.
Finally, the time came. The curtain went up, the actor walked on stage and, using just one finger, as directed, he delivered the line, "Ah, the sweet aroma of my mistress."
The theatre erupted, the audience was screaming with laughter and the director was steaming!
"You bloody fool!" he cried "You have buggered the whole show.!"
The actor was bewildered "What happened, did I forget my line?"
"No!" screamed the director. "You forgot the bloody rose!"
