The Girl On The Beach


                A couple lived near the ocean and used to walk the  beach a
          lot. One summer they  noticed a girl who was at  the beach pretty
          much every day. She wasn't unusual,  nor was the  travel bag  she
          carried, except  for one  thing; she would   approach  people who
          were sitting on the beach, glance around furtively, then speak to
          them.   Generally  the people  would respond  negatively and  she
          would  wander off, but  occasionally someone would  nod and there
          would be a  quick exchange of money for something  she carried in
          her bag.  The couple  assumed she was  selling drugs  and debated
          calling  the cops, but since they  didn't know for sure they just
          continued to watch her.

               After a couple of weeks the wife said, "Honey, have you ever
          noticed that she only goes up to people with boom boxes and other
          electronic  devices?"   He hadn't  and  said so.  Then she  said,
          "Tomorrow I  want you to get a towel and our big radio and go lie
          out on the beach. Then we can  find out what she's really doing."


               Well, the plan  went off without  a hitch  and the wife  was
          almost hopping  up and  down with anticipation  when she  saw the
          girl talk to her husband and then leave.

               The man walked up the beach and met his wife at the road.  
               "Well,? Is she selling drugs?" she asked, with excitement.

               "No, she's not." he  said, enjoying this probably more  than
          he should.

               "Well,?  What is  it, then?  What  is she  doing?" his  wife
          fairly shrieked.

               The man grinned and said, "She's a battery salesman."

               "A battery salesman?" cried the wife.

               "Yes," he replied. "She sells C cells by the sea shore."