A fellow told me one about Wembley yesterday, I said, to help on the cheery flow of conversation. Stop me if you've heard it before. Chap goes up to deaf chap outside the exhibition and says, Is this Wembley? Hey? says deaf chap. Is this Wembley? says chap. Hey? says deaf chap. Is this Wembley? says chap. No, Thursday, says deaf chap. Ha, ha, I mean, what?The merry laughter froze on my lips. Sir Roderick sort of just waggled an eyebrow in my direction and I saw that it was back to the basket for Bertram. I never met a man who had such a knack of making a fellow feel like a waste-product.
In this excerpt from P.G. Wodehouse's "Carry on, Jeeves," a character shares a joke about a misunderstanding between a man and a deaf person outside an exhibition. The joke centers around the repeated question "Is this Wembley?" and the deaf man's humorous response, leading to a comical realization. The storyteller attempts to engage in playful banter but is met with silence from Sir Roderick, highlighting the awkwardness of the moment.
As the narrative unfolds, the atmosphere shifts. The laughter that begins with the joke quickly dissipates, reflecting the storyteller's discomfort and the feeling of inadequacy he experiences in Sir Roderick's presence. This interaction captures the essence of Wodehouse's humor, blending wit with the complexities of human relationships, ultimately leaving the storyteller feeling diminished.
