New broom...
A woman was waiting in the check-out line at a shopping center. Her basket was filled with a mop and broom and other cleaning supplies. By her actions and deep sighs, it was obvious that she was in a hurry and not happy about the slowness of the line.
When the cashier called for yet another price check on a box of soap, the woman remarked, indignantly, "Well, at this rate, I'll be lucky to get out of here and home before Christmas!"
"Don't worry, Ma'am," replied the clerk. "With all that wind kicking up over there and that brand new broom you have in your basket, you'll be home in no time."
Why makes this Joke funny?
This joke uses misdirection and plays on the cultural reference of a stereotypical character to create humor.
Here’s a breakdown:
- Setting the Stage: The woman is in a hurry, frustrated by the slow-moving checkout line at a shopping center. She`s also buying cleaning supplies, including a broom.
- Misdirection: Her frustration and remark about “I`ll be lucky to get out of here and home before Christmas!” sets the expectation that the joke might be about holiday shopping madness, or something related to being in a rush.
- Punchline: The cashier`s reply, “With all that wind kicking up over there and that brand new broom you have in your basket, you`ll be home in no time,” brings in an unexpected twist. The cashier implies that the woman will be able to fly home on the broom, like a witch. This is completely unexpected based on her initial complaint and brings in the humor.
- Cultural Reference: The joke also refers to the stereotypical depiction of witches flying on brooms, which is a widely recognized image especially in Western cultures. The woman’s frustration, buying a new broom, and complaining about being slow, gives the cashier an opportunity to cheekily suggest that she’s a witch who can just fly home.
- Role Reversal: It`s common to expect sympathy or an apology from a customer service representative when a customer is frustrated. The cheeky, unexpected, and playful response from the cashier reverses these roles slightly and adds an element of surprise.
In summary, the joke is funny due to the combination of misdirection, unexpected punchline, cultural reference, and role reversal. These elements together create a humorous and surprising scenario that diverges from the expected interaction in a shopping scenario.