What It Takes to Make People Laugh

What It Takes to Make People Laugh
A bunch of San Quentin cons met in the recreation hall for their evening’s relaxation. Suddenly one prisoner stood up and exclaimed, “72!” Everybody laughed. Another inmate got to his feet and yelled, “53!” All the men guffawed. A third convict brought down the house just by shouting, “86!” Weasel McCall, a new arrival at the prison turned to Lefty Lanier, a lifer, and inquired, “What’s going on?” “We’re tellin’ jokes!” he replied. “Instead of tellin’ a yarn all the boys already know, we just yell out a number from our joke books... Saves time.” Anxious to get in good with the guys, Weasel stood up and shouted, “22!” Nothing happened. Again he tried, “17!” Silence. So Weasel asked Lefty, “How come they didn’t laugh?” “Kid, the jokes are all right,” said the con, ”but you just don’t know how to tell them.”