At Heathrow Airport in England, a 300-foot red carpet was
stretched out to Air Force One and President Bush strode to a
warm but dignified handshake from Queen Elizabeth II. They
rode in a silver 1934 Bentley to the edge of central London
where they boarded an open 17th century coach hitched to six
magnificent white horses. As they rode toward Buckingham
Palace, each looking to their side and waving to the
thousands of cheering Britons lining the streets, all was
going well. This was indeed a glorious display of pageantry
and dignity. Suddenly the scene was shattered when the right
rear horse let rip the most horrendous, earth-shattering,
eye-smarting blast of flatulence, and the coach immediately
filled with noxious fumes.
Uncomfortable, but maintaining control, the two dignitaries
did their best to ignore the whole incident, but then the
Queen decided that was a ridiculous manner with which to
handle a most embarrassing situation. She turned to Mr. Bush
and explained, "Mr. President, please accept my regrets.
I'm sure you understand that there are some things even a
Queen cannot control."
President Bush, ever the Texas gentleman, replied,
"Shucks,Queenie. Dontcha worry about it none. If you
hadn't said nuthin' I woulda thought it was one of the
horses."