The Joker

A guy walks in Helper General and pauses at the counter.  His wife wanders along the shelves, happily shopping.  But he leans over the counter and whispers to me: “I’m wondering if you can confirm a rumor I heard." Pause.  "Someone broke into the police department last weekend and stole all the toilets.”  Pause.  “They don’t have anything to go on.”  I’m looking with some concern out the window at the police building, which is just up the street, when the guy starts wheezing, bobbing up and down on his toes and flapping his arms.  Dim bulb that I am, it took a good five or six seconds before I realized: 1) it was a joke and 2) he was laughing at his own joke.  Thank goodness—I thought I was going to have to call an ambulance for the poor guy.