# Engine running in Northbridge

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-northbridge-pie-engine-running
- Themes: mistakes, humour, forgiveness
- Life situations: making mistakes, forgetfulness

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

On a day out on business, a driver takes Ajahn Brahm to a Northbridge shop for 'the best pies in Perth' (just okay, he says — the only pies he doesn't like are magpies). Afterwards the driver can't find his car keys. Retracing their steps, they find the car with its doors open, keys in the ignition and the engine still running — for half an hour or more, in Northbridge. Perhaps any thief thought it had to be a trap.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

he decided to take me into this little shop in Northbridge, in Newcastle Street, which sold, he said, the best pies in Perth. So he took me in there, and just after it was it was okay pie, not that great, but you know, it was good enough. I'm very easy to please. The only pies I don't like are magpies. Don't [laughter] eat them. No, they're okay, little magpies. But anyway, that was a joke, by the way. Pies, okay. So anyway, the There I was uh uh After we After we finished the meal, then the driver, he couldn't find the keys to the car. He said, "Where are they?" And so we I really can't find them. So we decided now to retrace our steps, go to the car to see if he dropped them somewhere. You know what had happened? When I got to the car first, the car doors were open. The engine was running cuz the keys were still in the ignition. This was in Northbridge. [laughter] And I don't know what it is. Sometimes if a thief had gone past, he thought, "This can't be happening. This can't be real. No one This must be a trick. This must be a trap." Because who would leave the car doors open for about half an hour, probably a bit longer, half an hour with the keys in ignition and the engine running? [laughter] In Northbridge.

## Teaching point

Everyone makes silly mistakes; telling them openly makes us human and teaches us to forgive.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

After pies in Northbridge, Ajahn Brahm's driver lost his keys, and they found the car with its doors open and engine running half an hour later. Perhaps thieves thought it was a trap. Don't try that at home. Telling stories like this keeps us human. Admit your silly mistakes, learn from them, and forgive others theirs.

## Source

- [Learn to Not Blame Yourself | Ajahn Brahm | 25 May 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNBuRBzCJrY) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 13:35 to 15:18: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNBuRBzCJrY&t=815s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Buddhism and Worldly Events | Ajahn Brahm | 11th March 2022](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbvKfJS-_vo) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 54:39 to 56:12: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbvKfJS-_vo&t=3279s