Learned Humor

My mother liked limericks and taught me to like them. Here are two of my favorites. “There once was a farmer named Hall, who fell in the spring in the fall. ‘Twould have been a sad thing had he died in the spring. He didn’t, he died in the fall.” “There once was a guy named Hyde who fell in the outhouse and died. Unfortunately, his brother fell in the other, and now they’re interred side-by-side.” She also taught me to like daffynitions. You know, word sounds that can have more than one definition. 

·       Coffee, someone who is coughed upon

·       Crackerjack, a device for lifting biscuits

·       Ignorant, to totally disregard an insect

·       Melancholy, a strangely shaped dog

·       Pasteurize, too far to see

·       Reincarnation, to be born again as a tin of condensed milk

·       Relief, what trees do in spring

·       Kindred, fear of one's own family

·       Scandal, footwear you should be ashamed of

·       Testicle, an amusing exam question

·       Zebra, the largest size of an important support garment

·       Vigilante, a very observant aunt.