There was once a great actor who had a problem – he could no longer remember his lines. After many years, he finally found a theatre willing to give him a chance to shine again. The director told him, “This is the most important part, and it has only one line. You must walk onto the stage carrying a rose, hold the rose with just one finger and your thumb to your nose, sniff the rose deeply, and then say the line ‘Ah, the sweet aroma of my mistress.'” The actor was thrilled and spent all day practicing his line.
Finally, the time came. The curtain went up, the actor walked onto the stage, and with great passion 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 ruined me!” The actor was bewildered, “What happened, did I forget my line?” he asked. “No!” the director screamed, “You idiot! You forgot the damn rose!”