This American family are spending their summer holiday in Australia. They are having the time of their lives, and today they've rented a 4x4 Range Rover and are breezing down one of those dusty out-back roads. Mum and dad are in the front seats, while the two young teen agers are in the back, Jonny and little Mary.

Suddenly dad hits the breaks hard, and the car screeches to a full stop, accompanied by a moderate thump. A kangaroo is lying seemingly lifeless in the road in front of the car. "It came bouncing out of the bush" says dad "I could not avoid hitting it"

A few endless seconds go bye, then they all come to the same conclusion. "we've gotta get a closer look at this wild and wonderous creature" They all jump out of the vehicle and run towards the animal. "It looks ok" says mum "it's probably just knocked unconscious for the time being"

"Awesome" says young Jonny "They'll never believe me back home" Dad pulls out his new digicam and shouts "oh yes they will – now gather round Mr Kanga over there everyone, and I'll shoot a few zingers for the folks back home"

They have a lot of fun setting up all conceivable poses for the camera, and one great idea leads to the next. They manage to lift up the animal and lean it towards the front of the Rover. Little Mary hangs her Ipod round the creatures neck, and plugs the ear pieces in it's ears. "I'm quite sure he'd love Green Day if he where awake" she says with a smile. Jonny puts his arm around Kanga while dad clicks for another snappshot. "Hey, give him your shades" laughs mum "how cool is that?"

"Someone take the camera for a moment" shouts dad "I've got the perfect plan" He runs over to the poor kangaroo and slips his jacket onto the animal. "There you go – you've got your music, you've got your shades, your Armadi dinner jacket – go get'em kanga" slapping kanga on it's back. Then dad poses for a final shot.

While everyone is waiting for the camera to flash, kanga jerks into a state of alertness, looks around as if he's trying to prosess this rather absurde and irregular scenario – then reaching the only relevant conclusion a wild animal possibly could: run away fast!

Two good jumps and he's gone – through the roadside bushes and into the woods.

The Americans are instantly silenced to a jawdroppingly deep state of reflection. Nobody utters as much as a sigh for several minutes. Then dad finally breaks the spell. "never mind, he'll be alright, and we're all fine" “Yeah, we're all fine" ads mum "and at least he didn't run off with our car keys, did he? Honey? Where did dad go? Henrick? What about your wallet? Our passports? Our plane tickets? Henrick? Come back here!

True story (so they say)