Their Observation Skills Will Be Wasted Up That Tower

I’m a volunteer at a public building in the centre of our city. Part of the building is a tower, which is one of the tallest structures around, and tourists can buy a ticket to climb up and see the view of the city from the top.

It’s opening time, so while a colleague unlocks the exit doors and mans the counter inside, I throw the entrance doors wide open and take out the two giant A-frame advertising boards which we place on the plaza outside the building. Each side of each board has the exact same thing: the words “Climb the tower!”, a picture of the view, and the ticket price. The bottom third of each is taken up by the giant text, “TOWER OPEN,” and an arrow pointing toward the entrance.

A family of tourists has watched me putting out the boards. They wander over, study one of the boards, and then look over at me, now standing by the open entrance ready to welcome visitors. They walk round to the other side of the board and read that, and then they move over to the second board and read that one, as well. Finally, they approach me.

Tourists: “Is the tower open?”

Me: “…”

This conversation occurs at least a dozen times a day. I don’t know what more we can do.