(For those not familiar with the joke...)
Kid walks down the street in an old country town. He comes across a group of old geezers hanging around the barbershop door ... one mumbles something as they all listen carefully, then all burst out laughing, and this repeats. Kid gets closer, and hears the different guys say a number, then all laugh.
"One thirty seven." They laugh.
"Four fourty two." More laughter.
"Ninety ... SIX!" Hysterics break out, one guy laughs so hard he falls off his chair.
Kid listens to this for a while, then asks what's going on. Oldest guy says "son, we've told each other so many jokes so many times that we just figure it's easier to attach a number to each one and tell that, rather than waste time telling the whole durn joke over again when everybody already knows it."
Kid nods, listens a little longer, then screws up his courage and contributes: "Ninety eight!"
Dead silence, as all the guys just stare at him. Poor kid is confused.
Oldest guy turns to him and says "son, it's how you _tell_ the joke that makes it funny!"
Alternate punchline: The old men looked at him with anger. The boy asked what he did wrong. "Numbers 80-100 are old man jokes." was the reply
there is a prison version, whereby the rookie inmate then hollars 77!!! to no response...he was told 77 is not very funny
Then one of the oldsters says "412!" and the others laugh so hard they pee their pants... The kids ask why they're laughing so hard, and one of them says "We hadn't heard that one before!!".
My dear old Pa used to tell that joke. . . . . 60 years ago!! :>)