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.

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! ▽

CD   △ Ha-ha. Did I? △

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. △

CD   △ What's your amazing joke? △

You clear your throat.

HD   ▽ Okie-dokes. ▽

HD   ▽ So. I have two words for you! ▽

HD   ▽ 'Knock' and 'knock'. ▽

HD   ▽ :oD ▽

CD   △ ... △

HD   ▽ :oD ▽

CD   △ That's three words. △

HD   ▽ :oOOO ▽

It takes a moment to callibrate your brain to Claude's logic.

HD   ▽ Huh??? ▽

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   ▽ Ooh, should I work on the delivery? Was it too vague? ▽

HD   ▽ If you don't get it, then... will the kids...? ▽

You start to fret, but then you see Claude's patient smile.

HD   ▽ I shouldn't worry too much, should I? ▽

HD   ▽ Okie-dokes. From the top. ▽

HD   ▽ A-HEM. ▽

HD   ▽ Knock-knock! ▽

You gesture with your hand for emphasis.

HD   ▽ … ▽

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

CD   △ Okay. △

CD   △ Who's there? △

HD   ▽ Chicken! ▽

CD   △ Now it's three words. △

HD   ▽ ... ▽

HD   ▽ Huh?! ▽

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

HD   ▽ Golly, maybe I really have to workshop the whole thing... :o/ ▽

CD   △ Sorry. △

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   ▽ Then, maybe I should work on my 'yes and-ing' more than my lines. ▽

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

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) ▽

CD   △ Ha. △

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

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

That makes you perk back up.

HD   ▽ Oooh! What-what-what? ▽

You swivel your head around.

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 and, 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. No, that’s not it, either. △

He pulls out a small, humble package and let it sit on his open palm.

CD   △ Here. △

CD   △ For you. △

HD   ▽ For... huh? ▽

Your smile drops completely, your eyes widening. 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, and you jerks back. The movement seems to have jostled life back into you.

HD   ▽ I...! ▽

HD   ▽ Before I answer, you’re going to have to explain, first! ▽

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

CD   △ This? △

He gives a cursory glance at the package.

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. ▽