| "The Hitch Hiker" | |
|---|---|
| Author | Roald Dahl |
| Country | England |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More Roald Dahl's Ten Short Stories |
| Genre(s) | Short story |
| Published in | 1977 |
| Publication type | Print (Paperback) |
| Publication date | 2014 |
| Published in English | 1977 |
| Preceded by | "The boy who talked with animals" |
| Followed by | "The Mildenhall Treasure" |
The Hitch-Hiker is a short story by Welsh author Roald Dahl that was originally published in the July 1977 issue of the Atlantic Monthly. The story features a man who picks up a hitch hiker whilst driving to London. They talk, and the driver tells the hitch hiker about himself. He explains that he is a writer. The hitch-hiker says that the driver is a skilled professional, stating also that he too is in a skilled profession.
The person is driving a brand new BMW car, and the hitch hiker challenges him to see if it really can go at 129 miles per hour. They reach a stretch of flat even road, and the driver opens up the throttle, he reaches 120 mph just as a police officer pulls him over. The officer threatens the driver with a lengthy prison sentence, and gives him a fine. The officer asks the hitch hiker what his address and occupation is, he tells him his address and also explains that he is a hod carrier. The police officer says he will be checking up on them both, and tells them to go on their way. After this meeting, the person is worried about the fine, the hitch hiker assures him that he won't get thrown into prison and reveals that he is a "fingersmith", a very skilled pick pocket. He then tells the driver that he has taken the police officer's ticket and note books, adding that they should leave the highway and make a bonfire to burn them.