Download

[arachnophile]

I’m through the setup, working my way up to the punch line, when I realize Molly’s not listening. Her eyes are pointed in my general direction, but the focus is off and her pupils are vibrating. She’s downloading.

“So yeah,” I say. “Then the priest tells the bartender he’s got cancer. Also, his mom just died, and his cat got dragged into the woods and eaten by a coyote.”

There’s a half-second pause before her eyes come back into focus. She bursts out laughing.

“That’s great,” she says. “I’ve never heard that one before.”

I’m guessing that’s true, anyway.

[bounceswoosh]

Like!

[SpareInch]

I have to admit, I've been known to zone out myself while people are telling jokes.

The best solution is to tell better jokes!

[arachnophile]

Yeah, I tend to meander through ten minutes of setup, only to realize I've already stepped on the punch line. Luckily I'm very funny looking, so that makes up for it to a certain extent.