Four strangers found themselves traveling together in the same compartment of a European train: two men and two women, all facing one another.

One woman was a 75-year-old lady, wealthy and sophisticated, decked out in the finest furs and jewelry. Next to her sat a beautiful 19-year-old woman, radiating a model-like presence straight out of a fashion magazine.

Across from the older lady sat a man in his late forties, a highly decorated Sergeant Major in the Army. And next to the Sergeant Major sat a young private, fresh out of boot camp.

As the four chatted about trivial things during the ride, they suddenly entered an unlit tunnel, plunging the compartment into complete darkness and silence. Then, a distinct kiss broke the quiet, followed by a loud slap that echoed throughout the cabin.

In the awkward silence that followed, each of the four strangers was lost in their own thoughts:

The older lady thought, “How wonderful it is that, even in this permissive age, there are still young women who have enough self-respect and dignity to avoid such behavior.”

The young woman, puzzled, wondered, “Why would any man want to kiss an old fossil like that when I’m sitting here?”

The Sergeant Major, rubbing his sore face, was furious. “How dare anyone think that I would try to sneak a kiss in the dark? This is beyond ridiculous!”

Meanwhile, the young private, grinning from ear to ear, thought to himself, “What a crazy world this is—where a private can kiss the back of his hand and then smack a Sergeant Major in the face and get away with it!”