Last night I had one of those beautiful moments where two competely incompatible things come together by chance. I needed to cross Milton Keynes (think roundabouts) and in my car boot I had a bunch of lillies and a pumpkin. Negotiating each roundabout brought three noisy thumps and visions of a wrecking ball going to work on a matchstick house.

Incompatibility, or incongruity is a creative device that’s been used countless times over the years in high art and low art. It’s one of those perennials that done well just seems to get our attention or make us stop and think. It can be sublimely moving (Lost in Translation) or rediculously funny (all the PG Tips chimps ads).

“Dad, do you know the piano’s on my foot?”
“You hum it son, I’ll play it.”
…brilliant.