HD   ▽ G-A-S-P!!! ▽

HD   ▽ Is that none other than our wonderful jester, Claude Abbott?! ▽

Despite bouncing around all day, you have the energy to skip towards him as if the shift just started. It doesn't help that his smile, when directed right at you, fills your heart like a balloon. It's almost enough to make you forget how long of a day you've actually had.

CD   △ Hi, Heidi. △

HD   ▽ Honk-honk-honk! :o) ▽

HD   ▽ How's it going? ▽

CD   △ Just finished for my set. △

CD   △ How is yours going? △

HD   ▽ Ooh! You came at the perfect time, actually! ▽

HD   ▽ I've been working on a joke. ▽

HD   ▽ People love my jokes. As we all know. ▽

HD   ▽ So, is it okay if I workshop one with you? ▽

CD   △ Okay, then. △

CD   △ What's your amazing joke? △

You clear your throat.

HD   ▽ A-hem. ▽

HD   ▽ I have two words for you! ▽

You do the motion with your hand for emphasis.

HD   ▽ 'Knock' and 'knock'. ▽

HD   ▽ :oD ▽

HD   ▽ :oD ▽

HD   ▽ :oO ▽

There's a long pause before he speaks up.

CD   △ That's three words. △

HD   ▽ Huh??? :oI ▽

It takes a moment for your brain to re-calibrate.

HD   ▽ Wait! That's not what I meant! ▽

HD   ▽ The two words were 'knock' and 'knock'! ▽

CD   △ Yeah. Knock and Knock. △

HD   ▽ No! Knock AND knock! ▽

CD   △ And? △

HD   ▽ And! ▽

CD   △ Yeah. And. △

CD   △ That makes three. △

HD   ▽ :oI ▽

HD   ▽ Claudie-doodle... how do I put this? ▽

HD   ▽ It's a knock-knock joke. ▽

HD   ▽ You're not supposed to ask those kinds of questions! ▽

CD   △ I'm not? △

HD   ▽ No. ▽

CD   △ Okay. △

HD   ▽ Okay! From the top! ▽

You nod and clear your throat once more.

HD   ▽ A-HEM. ▽

HD   ▽ Knock-knock! ▽

You gesture with your hand again.

HD   ▽ … ▽

You lean in and stage-whisper.

HD   ▽ (That’s your cue to say, ‘who’s there?’) ▽

CD   △ Okay. △

CD   △ Who's there? △

You lean away, excited.

HD   ▽ Chicken! ▽

CD   △ Now it's three words. △

HD   ▽ ...huh?! ▽

You gape at Claude, puzzled, and then hang your head in defeat.

CD   △ Sorry. △

A big sigh, then you lift your head back up.

HD   ▽ No, it's okay, Claudie-pie. ▽

HD   ▽ This is what the comedic drafting process is all about! ▽

HD   ▽ I should've expected the unexpected. ▽

HD   ▽ Maybe I should work on my 'yes and-ing' more than my lines. ▽

You clap your hands together.

HD   ▽ Yup! I've got it all figured out, now. ▽

HD   ▽ It's what my namesake would've wanted! ▽

CD   △ I'm glad to hear that. △

CD   △ Even if I still don't really get it. △

HD   ▽ Don't worry about it, silly boy. ▽

HD   ▽ Honk-honk-honk. :o) ▽

You squeeze your clown nose.

CD   △ Ha-ha-ha. △

CD   △ Well, if you're done with that... △

CD   △ I actually wanted to see you for something. △

HD   ▽ Oooh! What-what-what? ▽

You look around feverishly.

HD   ▽ Is this a game? Am I supposed to guess? ▽

HD   ▽ Or… are you waiting for me to start a set? ▽

CD   △ ...no, sorry. △

CD   △ That’s not what it is. △

HD   ▽ Phooey! ▽

HD   ▽ I’ll get you to initiate a rep, one of these days! :o/ ▽

You pout and waggle a finger at him, but you can't keep yourself from smiling again.

HD   ▽ Then what? Are you coming just to say hi? ▽

HD   ▽ Check in on ol' Heidi? ▽

HD   ▽ That would be very sweet, but very, very silly of you! :oP ▽

CD   △ Ha-ha. △

CD   △ No, that’s not it, either. △

He pulls out a small, humble gift bag and lets it sit on his open palm.

HD   ▽ What's that? ▽

CD   △ A gift. △

CD   △ For you. △

HD   ▽ For... huh? ▽

Your smile drops completely. Strangest of all, you're completely still. You couldn’t have frozen better if you tried.

CD   △ Heidi? △

CD   △ Are you... okay? △

He steps closer, so you jerk back. The movement seems to have jostled life back into you.

HD   ▽ I... I'm as okie as a dokie! ▽

HD   ▽ But you’re going to have to explain yourself, first! ▽

HD   ▽ Why are you giving me such a nice gift? ▽

CD   △ Is it that nice? △

He gives a cursory glance at the bag.

CD   △ It's pretty cheap-looking. △

HD   ▽ No, don't say that! ▽

HD   ▽ Going out of your way to put something in a gift bag... ▽

HD   ▽ Any present's going to be better with that kind of effort! ▽

CD   △ Really? △

CD   △ Even if what's inside is a cheap gag gift? △

HD   ▽ I don't believe anything you'd pick would be cheap. ▽

CD   △ Ha-ha. That's nice of you. △

CD   △ I didn't pick this, though. △

HD   ▽ Huh? ▽

CD   △ An audience member gave it to me. △

CD   △ I don't need it, so... △

CD   △ I thought you might want it. △

HD   ▽ The audie - oh! ▽

HD   ▽ You just... oh, that makes so much sense! ▽

You exhale. Were you holding your breath this whole time?

HD   ▽ Oh-oh-oh, that makes way more sense! ▽

HD   ▽ Claude, I thought… ▽

HD   ▽ Hoo-hoo-hoo! ▽

HD   ▽ I was thinking something really silly! ▽

HD   ▽ Something that shouldn’t have been thought at all. ▽

CD   △ You looked worried. △

CD   △ Did you think it was bad? △

HD   ▽ Bad? ▽

You smile, but you look away. It's hard to face him like this.

HD   ▽ You could say that. ▽

HD   ▽ It would've been very, very bad. ▽

CD   △ ... △

CD   △ That doesn't make sense. △

CD   △ Why would I give you something bad? △

HD   ▽ Oh, forget I said anything, Claudie-o. ▽

HD   ▽ I told you. It's all a bunch of silly nonsense hoo-hah. ▽

CD   △ Hmm. △

CD   △ Okay. △