... walk into a bar

“An elephant and a snowflake walk into a bar…” Karl couldn’t hold back his laughter any longer and lapsed into bent-over double giggles.

“What is funny about that?” little sister Ellen complained and looked around for Mum. She was going to tell on him, with Karl that was most usually the best option.

Gasping for a breath, “Snowflakes can't walk, stupid!” Karl nearly wet himself at the hilarious joke he’d barely told.

“Maaa—um.” Ellen called out in the classic tell-tale lilting call, and though their mother was still not in sight she elaborated, “Karl is telling stupid jokes again.” She turned around and wagged her finger at her brother to add, “You are never going to be a stand-up comic you know."

But Ellen and Karl's mother was oblivious to their spat, as she sat in the dining room, focused intently upon her October prep ready for the Nano in November. It was to be a criminal strategy novel, but would it be mysterious enough?

Matters in the kitchen were meanwhile devolving swiftly, but it was not until Ellen was fully screaming that the reporting officer Mum rushed into the room to deal with her very own repeat offenders.

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