A man was frantically searching under a streetlamp late at night. A police officer passing by stopped and asked, “What are you looking for, sir? Did you lose something?”
The man sighed desperately: “Yes, I lost my key. I can’t get into my house.”
The police officer bent down to help the man. “Well, where did you lose it? Where did you last use it?”
The man pointed to the small area illuminated by the streetlamp. “It must be somewhere there. I think I dropped it.”
The police officer was a little surprised. “There? But this isn’t your house door. Isn’t your house a few streets away?”
The man nodded. “Yes, my house is there. But it’s very dark there. I can see better here.”
The police officer looked at the man for a moment, then around, then back at the man. A slow smile appeared on his face. “So, you lost your key in the dark but you’re looking for it in the light, is that right?”
The man shrugged. “Well, of course! How else am I going to find it in the dark?”
The police officer took a deep breath. “Alright then, I guess you won’t be getting into your house tonight. Because unless you know where your key is, searching for it only where there’s light doesn’t make much sense.”
The man looked at the officer in surprise. “What do you mean? How will I find it if there’s no light?”
The police officer chuckled. “Perhaps you should go to where you lost your key, to the dark, with a flashlight, right?”
A slow realization dawned on the man’s face. “Oh… right! That never occurred to me!”