When I do stand up comedies, there is one joke that I have really liked doing.  It is about the drive through window lady at the Dunkin’ Donuts near where I live.  If you’ve seen me perform, you know the joke.  If you haven’t, it goes something like this.

I like to go to Dunkin’ Donuts, not just for the obviously awesome food and beverage items that can be purchased there, but also because going there offers you the opportunity to have unique social interactions.

For example, I pull up to the window to pay the drive through lady for my order and she says, “Good morning.  How are you?”

And I say, “I’m pretty good.  How are you doing?”

And she says, “I’m good.  Yourself?”

“Uh…  I’m still good?  Am I supposed to ask you again now?  Not going to lie to you, I didn’t really care the first time I asked.  I can’t see mustering up the gumption to ask a second time.”

This is the joke.  Only it isn’t a joke.  This is a real thing that happens.  I typed that correctly.  I said happens, not happened.  It really happened, yes, but it continues to happen.

It has become quite difficult for me to interact with the woman.  Now, because I know she’s going to respond in that strange way, when she asks, “How are you?”, I respond with, “Thank you.”

I know that’s not the right response, but she has me socially flummoxed.

Here’s the other thing.  She knows she does it.  Because, sometimes, she catches herself and doesn’t say it.  And we exchange a knowing eye contact thing.  At least we do in my head.

This morning, I forgot to be flummoxed as I was having a pleasant morning drive with my child.  I asked her how she was, and she asked me right back again. Then, like the continually asking how I am wasn’t bad enough, she began to sing.  I don’t know what she was singing.  She just started singing.

I had to drive away looking into my lap.

Laaaa, laaaa, looooo, laa, laaa, laaaaaa!