Now, having returned from the Jack Handey bit, go laugh at Steve Martin circa 1977. One of my long-held favorites, reprinted below in full.
Little Billy Jackson had to go to the store for his mother to pick up some postage stamps. When he got there, he found the stamp machine to be out of order, and decided to walk the extra three blocks to the post office. On the way there, he passed a hardware store, a variety store and a lamp shop. The line was short at the post office and he got the stamps quickly and returned home. His dog, "Spider," bounded out to greet him as his mom waved from the porch. Billy's mother was pleased at the job he did and congratulated him on having enough sense to go to the post office when he found the stamp machine broken. Billy had a nice dessert that night and went to bed.

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Comments
Cruel Shoes came out when I was a junior in high school. I remember having to explain the joke to some of my friends.
My high school buddies were dumb.
Posted by: BobbyEarle | November 26, 2008 9:48 AM
Color me dumb. I don't get the joke.
Posted by: Ken Shabby | November 26, 2008 11:12 AM
Then it seems that the joke is on you.
Don't feel too bad. The first time I saw this, I was slow to realize that the joke was on me.
Posted by: The Science Pundit | November 26, 2008 12:23 PM
It's funny because it's true.
Posted by: Mel.Mart | November 30, 2008 6:32 PM
This is soo funny!!! i love this book, i couldn't get enough of it.
Posted by: Rory | January 3, 2009 9:37 PM