To quote the challenge: “Your story’s title is the text of a common sign.”

Harrumph! Give the Governor a harrumph!

Took me a few reads to get it, but a funny little turn of identity and delusion. Made me think of Piglet’s ancestor Trespassers Will.

Yeah, that’s why it’s only a harrumph. I can appreciate needing to move the joke to the end for dramatic tension.

I considered making the story title ‘Caution: Hidden Dip’ – but I thought that would cause even more annoyance :-p

I would be pretty weirded out if I saw a sign that said “They Know” somewhere on the road.

Anyway, I like the story. The part where it said “the odd deal here, the odd arrangement there” seemed too forced (I don’t think odd and arrangement together fit the tone as much). I think it would sound better if you said something like “the odd deal here, an arrangement there”. I don’t know, take your pick. Nice though.

@Stevohobo – Thanks for the comments – you’re right: on re-reading it I’ve now changed it to ‘the odd deal here or there’, which flows better.

Part of the reason I titled it ‘They Know’ is because that’s exactly how he reads the sign. In a sense, I put the alternative meaning in the title, and left the ‘normal’ reading in the text.

Laugh-out-loud funny. It’s a UK thing, I guess.

Lovely.

This was great…had me laughing!

I got it! poor bill posters…lol. But if he was already seeing a shrink, he had it coming.