Not funny

We have discovered, as our children age, that it takes a long time for their senses of humor to develop. So far, they really only get body humor and slapstick. They're trying, however. While we were driving to church on Sunday, Joe and Priya decided to amuse themselves by telling knock-knock jokes. John and I were satisfied because they are finally old enough to tell knock-knock jokes to each other without requiring either of us to say the requisite, "Who's there?" and "Banana pants who?" In addition, we are no longer required to laugh at jokes which are, honestly, not at all funny.

Of course, the verbal nature of the knock-knock joke, which is what makes the joke work, is completely foreign to children for whom homonym might as well be a Spanish word as an English one. But they still try. And believe us--it's pathetic.

Anyway, Joe decided to tell Priya a knock-knock joke. It was, characteristically, not funny. But he laughed hysterically when he finished it. Priya, in turn, told him a knock-knock joke almost identical to the joke he had told her. He did not laugh. Instead, he told her that her knock-knock joke was not really funny.

"Well," she said, "yours wasn't funny either."

"Yes," he agreed, "but yours was not funny-er than mine." Just like that.

Priceless.