Episode 2: The Joke Factory/Meeting Seeka
Improv words (Oxford Canadian Dictionary of Current English, 2005):
dirigible (p. 223 top), xylophone (p. 989 bottom)
Gromph and Flartt have been working at the joke factory for many years. Flartt has even worked his way up to crew foreman. Their boss, Q'rel, pays regular visits to his front line staff and today Q'rel brings a new employee with him. Her name is Seeka.
Q'rel:
Mornin' Flartt, Gromph--like you to meet our newest recruit. This is Seeka. She's fresh out of comedy school and eager to start work. Flartt, I thought you could show her the ropes.Flartt:
Be glad to. This rope here brings down the joke parts (pulls rope), this rope here let's the next department know the joke is finished and ready for fine-tuning.
Q'rel:
I didn't mean the literal ropes Flartt--just figuratively speaking. I thought Seeka here could pick up a thing or two about making jokes from two of the best in the business. By the way Flartt, I was looking at your joke-time ratio the other day and you still need some improvement. Remember, when you slow down the line, the entire plant slows down--so STEP IT UP! Make them jokes faster! Time is money!!!
Flartt:
Sure, I'll just pull the jokes out of butt for ya Q'rel, that should save us some time.
Q'rel:
Look Flartt--you are the best, that's why I keep you around, but don't get all insubordinate with me you hear. I'm still the boss! Well, Seeka I'll leave you now, if you need me I'll be in my office. It's the BIG ONE over there up the stairs.
Q'rel leaves. Seeka walks over to Flartt and leans in beside him, asking:
Flartt:
We have these parts to work with (there are two blocks in front of Flartt--one says dirigible, the other xylophone).
Seeka:
Do you just get whatever parts they give you and you have to make them work?Flartt:
Well, sometimes. And sometimes we make up our own parts by using scraps of other parts. It's all rather complicated. Look, just watch for now. It'll take a while for you to really get how things are done around here.
Of course. I'm just so glad to be here. I'm sure I'll learn a lot from you--both.
Flartt and Gromph confer with each other while moving the joke blocks around. They pick up other smaller pieces, and the joke starts taking shape. Seeka is quite impressed at the efficiency of the two of them as they create the joke. They speak very little, but seem to read each other's minds about where to place what part. Soon a joke takes shape and Seeka laughs as the final product is completed...
Hindenburg Sausages: they explode with flavor.
Seeka:
Hey, that's pretty good--so you don't have to exactly use the word "dirigible" you can simply use the idea?Gromph:
Whatever works. Comedy isn't easy, so you make the best of what you're given. As long as it's funny, people generally don't care how a joke is made.
Flartt continues moving parts around, his face scowling in frustration.
Flartt (asking Gromph):
I need a word that rhymes with xylophone.
Gromph:
Let's see...sieg hiel gnome?
Gromph:
My dial tone?
Milo Jones?
Flartt:
Who? Never mind, none of those work. I'm trying to make a limerick about a xylophone player in love with a stripper.
Gromph:
Make the stripper British and use "hide those scones."
Hmmm. No...it's allright, I've got it.
There once was a player of xylophones
who wiled away hours with wild old crones.
Then he fell for a stripper
who could have been thicker,
but alas was no more than a pile o' bones.
That's great! Well, I guess I should get to work. Now that you've shown me the ropes (pulls the rope that brings down the joke parts).
Hmm...
Flartt:
Need any help?
Seeka:
There's a priest, a rabbi, and a leprechaun.
Flartt:
Well, that's easy....
Seeka:
Yes...the leprechaun says:
Not bad...for a rookie.
In fact, Flartt thought, it was pretty good. This Seeka was funny...not as funny as him of course, but still there was something about her. Funny, and cute. He hated her. He had to, because Flartt was in no way ready to like any girl, not just after having his heart stomped on by Ashu, his ex-girlfriend. He might have to work with Seeka, but he wouldn't make things easy for her. Yes, Flartt thought, it would be better all around for him if this girl left the factory...and Flartt was about to make things so tough for her that she would do just that.
