So Roger e-mailed me this great joke.

I went home and told it to my husband who smiled wanly and said: “Yes, that is a great joke when told by someone who doesn’t pause halfway through and then correct the earlier part of the joke before limping to the punchline.”

Harsh but fair.

Our close friend Richard has been telling the same jokes since we first met him in the early 80s and they’re still a little bit funny (but please, please don’t tell him I said so).

There is something about the progression of a comic yarn that I don’t get. I try but the ends of my jokes are great silent wildernesses broken only by the tumbleweed of embarrassed titters.

This is the one Roger sent. It works better when I’m not telling it.

I was visiting my son and daughter-in-law last night when I asked if I could borrow a newspaper.

“This is the 21st century, old man,” he said. “We don’t waste money on newspapers. Here, you can borrow my iPad.”

I can tell you, that b****y fly never knew what hit it...

lynne.mortimer@eadt.co.uk