Stringent Puns

1950's, my dad worked in a government building for the administrative side of an “intelligence arm” of the government. The building was large and had a central park-like courtyard, which was open to the public.

About twice a week, a neatly dressed man, wearing a cap and carrying a canvas bag, would enter the courtyard, sit on a bench, open the bag, and pull out a rooster.

The rooster wore a leather harness the man would clip on a leather leash and walk the rooster around the courtyard. Everyone knew the guy. He was a common fixture. He’d had his own carnival act with trained roosters. He’s bring the rooster to courtyards to scratch & feed away from dogs.

So, recall my dad worked for an “intelligence arm” of the government, which required stringent background checks and psychological testing.

The whole department was in on this Dad Joke. In comes the new guy, in his own way, will eventually bring up the rooster:

“You won’t believe what I just saw. A guy walking a rooster on a leash in the courtyard!”

And then it starts. Someone would ask everyone: “Any you guys see it? Dan? Jim? Bob? Mark? No? No?” and they’d home in on the guy:

• You’re kidding!

• How much have you had to drink?

• Are you on something?

• Job getting to you already?

• Maybe you need your head reexamined!

• I dare you to go tell the boss what you just saw…

• What other things have you been seeing?

• Do you really have a wife and kids?

• Is this some kind of Russian joke?

My dad’s two lines were always:

• How many fingers am I holding up?

• Are you sure it was a rooster, and not a hen?