I said "no, this time it's toothpaste."
Joke Poo: At the Pet Store
I dropped off my dog at the local dog groomer, and the clerk said, "He looks a little rough around the edges!"
I said, "Yeah, well, this time it’s not his fault, it’s the Roomba."
Alright, let’s break down this joke!
Core Elements:
- Pun/Wordplay: The joke hinges on the double meaning of "come again." It can mean "return to this place" or "experience an orgasm."
- Expectation Subversion: The clerk’s friendly farewell is misinterpreted sexually.
- Incongruity: The response, involving toothpaste, creates a bizarre and unexpected image, amplifying the misinterpretation.
- Implied Embarrassment/Awkwardness: The humor comes from the imagined discomfort of both the speaker and the clerk upon realizing the miscommunication.
Now, let’s enrich this with some related factual/interesting tidbits:
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Tidbit 1: The Origin of "Come Again": The phrase "come again" as a request to repeat something likely originates from older forms of English where simpler phrasing was common. Its sexual connotation is a more modern evolution, relying heavily on context and delivery.
- Tidbit 2: Toothpaste and Sex: While not generally associated with sex, toothpaste ingredients like mint oils can create tingling sensations, which are sometimes incorporated into novelty products. Also, the act of brushing is, on a purely mechanical level, rhythmic.
Enrichment Attempt 1: A Witty Observation
"You know, the laundromat clerk’s enthusiastic ‘Come again!’ really puts things into perspective. It’s like a linguistic Rorschach test – reveals less about the clerk’s intentions and more about what kind of night you hope you’re going to have."
Enrichment Attempt 2: A "Did You Know?" Enhanced Joke
"I dropped off my shirts and the clerk said ‘Come again!’ I awkwardly replied, ‘No, this time it’s toothpaste.’… Did you know, historically, the phrase ‘come again’ was just a polite way of saying ‘pardon?’ So technically, I could have misunderstood even if I hadn’t had that on my mind. Maybe I just have bad hearing…and a weird sense of humor about oral hygiene."
Enrichment Attempt 3: A New, Related Joke:
"Went to the dentist. After the cleaning, she chirped, ‘Come again in six months!’ I said, ‘Actually, I’m trying a new whitening toothpaste. Is that going to interfere with the scaling?’ She looked mortified. I think I need a new dentist. And maybe a different kind of toothpaste."