MDMD(1) - The Joke

[Brian D. McCary]

Kudos to Rich Romeo who wrote:

"p. 16--Dixon's Joke:  Mason says "Are You Crazy...people are staring".  
Is this somehow the answer to the riddle--one of those koans we have to 
figure out that LED mentions later, "holy Insanity"?"

This makes perfect sense.  Mason's horrified reaction is also the 
Englishwoman's reply!  Dixon mis-interprets this to mean that Mason
has heard the joke before & remembers it, causing him to get even more
buddy-buddy (reaching to clasp Mason's arm) ect.  Mason remains mystified.

So TRP does, in fact, finish Dixon's joke, the first time Dixon tells it,
but the dunderheaded readers (like me) miss it completely....  The 
remaining question is why a Corsican, a Jesuit, and a Chinaman sharing
a coach (perhaps with a woman) would cause a sailor to blush, or even
to scandalize Mason?

Which reminds me of my favorite riddle:  Did you hear about the termite who
walked into the saloon and asked "Is the bartender here?"

Brian McCary