Waiting Tables

Chapter 5 -- Got Jokes?

"Okay, okay. How's this, what did the full glass say to the empty glass?" Ashton bit his lip, containing his smile as he held a pause before the punch line. "You look drunk."

    "Oh come on, did Louis tell you that?" the girl in front of him rolled her eyes, rolling silverware as they waited for a customer to come by. It had been a rather slow morning, so they decided to be productive and get ahead of their side work so they could maybe leave earlier today. Brittany said she'd help the servers roll if they wanted, which they obviously took up her offer.

    "Oi, I'm funny!" Louis yelled from across the room. There was one elderly couple in the room, but they barely seemed phased. Shannon, the server who'd been seated first, had to scream for them to hear her. To them, it probably seemed like Louis was using his inside voice.

    "Yeah, whatever. That was terrible, Ashton. Try again."

    Ashton was telling her funny jokes because he wanted to try something next time he went out to a bar to pick up a guy.

     "What do you call a man with a rubber toe?" She shrugged. "Roberto,"

    "Try again," she said flatly.

    He thought for a minute before remembering what he'd read online that morning as he prepared.

    "Okay, Why don't we see elephants hiding in trees?"

"Are you sure you're ever funny?" Brittany tsked doubtfully. "Because this doesn't seem funny."

"Shh, why do you think? Go along with it," he swatted a napkin in her direction. He took one fork and knife from the pile and set it inside the red cloth napkin before rolling it up.

    "Ugh, fine. Because elephants are gigantic and would break the branch," she shrugged.

    "No, we don't see elephants hiding in trees because they're really good at it."

    She gave him a blank stare as he quietly chuckled to himself.

    "So are you trying not to date anyone ever?" she frowned. "Is the goal to see how many people will reject you?"

    Ashton gasped.

    "Britt, you're so mean!" she grinned at him, throwing a napkin at him.

    "Try again, something funny for real. Take this seriously."

    Ashton took a deep breath.

    "Knock knock."

"Who's there?"

"Déja."

"Déja who?"

"Knock knock." he smirked, waiting while her face showed confusion.

    "Who's there, Ashton."

    He raised an eyebrow at her.

    "...Déja,"

"Déja who?"

    He shook his head.

    "Knock knock,"

    She groaned, exasperated and leveled a glare at the server.

    "Ashton, I'm going along with your game, I'm playing by the rules. When I say 'deja who', you're supposed to tell me who's there!" she complained.

    "Just..."

    "That's actually pretty good," A deep voice sounded from behind them. Ashton jumped, not having heard anyone approaching. His back had been turned to the door and he didn't realize someone showed up.