“Let me ask the chief, he’s in the office, I’ll be right back. You can sit up there in the driver’s seat if you like, Reverend,” Sam replied turning to enter the fire station office.

“Thank you Sam, I would like that.” Ernest said climbing up onto the driver’s seat of the shine-y red fire engine. He placed his hands on the steering wheel, looking all around as if he were driving it. Then he noticed the keys left in the ignition.

A total look of delight consumed Ernest’s face. He smiled to himself. This is perfect, he thought. Now’s my chance, good bye ministry, good bye Old Stone Church, hello freedom, he mused to himself. He turned the key, the engine made a loud roar. Ernest stepped on the accelerator, wheeling the engine onto Main Street. There were only a few cars; he hit the siren as he stepped down on the accelerator

Blaring down Main Street, he saw cars quickly moving to the right. Ernest looked in the rear view mirror; he had both cars of the police department right behind him, flashing their lights for him to pull over. He felt totally airborne and reeled in the joy of his freedom.

Gritting his teeth, he wheeled around the corner of the street that the church was on. Ginger rushed out, just as he roared past…”Hi Honey!” he yelled, “Wahoo!”

“Ernest! What are you doing?” She screamed back at him, and then started jogging toward the fire station.

The town’s people rushed from their homes, then stood gapping as they uttered, “It’s Reverend Archembald!”

“What on earth is he doing?”

“Has he flipped out?”

“Boy! He sure means what he says about doing what he says and not what he does!”

Ernest had such a feeling of elation that for better than a half-hour he led the town’s police up and down the streets of the town. Finally, he pulled into the fire station, parked the fire engine exactly where he had taken it from and turned to face two police officers.

“Officers, I am guilty of stealing this fine fire engine and driving rather crazy through town.” Ernest admitted gesturing towards the fire engine with all the flourish of a showman.

“Well…uh, I don’t see how we can arrest you,” the older officer stuttered perplexed by the incident, “Almost everyone goes to your church, so who will preach tomorrow’s sermon in church if we arrest you?” The older officer said trying to rationalize the situation.

“Why..why did you do it, Reverend?” The younger officer asked.

“Because he dislikes being a minister so badly… this is the only way he knew to get released from his position,” Ginger said puffing as she hurried to stand beside Ernest.

“Gosh Reverend we thought you loved your job – you’re such a good preacher.” the older officer said with the younger one nodding his head up and down in agreement.

“Thank you. But the law, God’s and our Country’s doesn’t permit stealing. Ernest replied meekly.

“Yes, but you returned the engine so it’s not really stealing,” the senior officer replied defensive.

“That’s right; you just borrowed it, huh?” The younger officer added.

“All right officers, if there will be no further reason to delay me, I will escort my wife home, and write my letter of resignation to Bishop Northrop explaining that I stole the town’s fire engine. I hope the Town Crier will have it in their early edition today so that I might enclose a clipping with my letter.” Ernest said still in a buoyant mood. He took Ginger’s hand, turned walking resolutely back to the parsonage.

For years after Reverend Ernest Archembald moved to California the town still buzzed about the day he stole the fire engine.