See post #9.
I know, I know, we have all seen that bloke in the strait-jacket many many times.
It's that poster's (Crusader Frank) go-to meme.
But, it does remind me of when I put myself through university as a part-time bartender (22hrs every week for 3 years, btw. Sometimes a lot more if another bartender was not in.)
Anyway, the busy burger and steak-sandwich biergarten I worked at had a 'regular's corner' of the bar where ....you guessed it....the daily 'regulars' assembled to gossip, banter and opinionize. As a youngster I found it sometimes fun, sometimes tedious. They were initially a tough crew on a young college kid...but, in time, I was accepted.
But there was this one bloke who would come in periodically....maybe once every two or three weeks. He was known, folks called him by his name, and he would sit at that corner if a stool was available. And he'd tell the same joke every time he came in. The same friggin' joke.
Now, nobody was rude to the guy. To be sure they would roll their eyes, look up at the ceiling, down at their shoes, into their beers. And, they would never --ever-- look at each other when the bloke was telling his worn joke.
The fear was, of course, if they looked at each other with even a sidelong glance.....the whole bar would collapse into mean-spirited snickers and laughing ridicule. So they quietly listened to it until he finished. Then they would just pick up their previous conversations and go along as if the bloke wasn't even there, as if he had never walked in.
The bloke would finish his pint, and mosey out. THEN.....an only THEN....would the snicker and snarking start.
But, the bloke would be back .....with the same tired and worn joke.
I will always remember that though it was a long long time ago in a galaxy far far away.