Young officer and old soldier

A very new, young officer was at a railway station. He was on his way to visit his mother in another town, and he wanted to telephone her to tell her the time of his train, so that she could meet him at the station in her car. He looked in all his pockets, but found that he did not have the right money for the telephone, so he went outside and looked around for someone to help him.

At last an old soldier came by, and the young officer stopped him and said, 'Have you got change for ten pence?'

'Wait a moment,' the old soldier answered, beginning to put his hand in his pocket. 'I'll see whether I can help you.'

'Don't you know how to speak to an officer?' the young man said angrily. 'Now let's start again. Have you got change for ten pence?'

'No, sir,' the old soldier answered quickly.