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Friday Fart Joke!

True story. I was in “Danner’s Discount Department Store” – what we had long before Wal-Mart – with my dad when I was maybe 10 years old. We were in the fishing tackle aisle. Another man was in the next aisle over. They played quite loudly over the intercom the music they play when they call the horses to the gate at the track. (Remember this was a loud melodic refrain from a trumpet, it will be important later.) The symbolism in this case was a call to a special in Woman’s clothing. So they play this music quite loudly over the intercom and the man in the next aisle over apparently thought he would take advantage of the cover noise to pass some wind. Unfortunately, he had a timing problem. Just as the trumpet quieted from the intercom, without a single beat missed, he passed the most melodic and lengthy wind ever heard – it was even in the right key. It began soprano, dropped down to a baritone and back to a soprano at the end. It was in key the entire way. My dad and I both were immediately stricken with an urge to erupt in laughter that was debilitating. My dad eventually grabbed me about the shoulders and clasped his hand over my mouth and staggered about three aisles over where after at least 10 minutes of laughter, we were able to regain our composure and get to the car. Not a single conversation about a department store for the next 30 years could pass without that story being told.