A Joke about Tea, and How You Can Do the Same

THE BACKSTORY

Last night my roommate offered me a cup of tea. It was around 11:30 PM and I wanted to go to bed soon. Having only caffeinated tea, I declined his offer. When he asked why (we often have tea) and I told him my reasoning, he offered me some tea of his own (the same kind I had, only decaffeinated). So I agreed. He boiled the water and got out two mugs with two teabags. I got out my honey (we often add honey to our tea) and a spoon. When the kettle whistled, he poured the water over the tea, I added the honey, and we steeped and stirred and drank.

THE JOKE

(My roommate and I walk from the kitchen to the living room, each carrying a mug of hot and honeyed green tea.)

ME: Thanks for teabagging me.

ROOMMATE: You're welcome. Thanks, honey.

WHY DOES THE JOKE WORK?

Good jokes, like good tea, need time to steep. The joke would never have worked had we tried to make it earlier. The boiling water of comedy needs to be flavored by the dried tea leaves of three to four minutes. It also helps if you add a little honey of we've-been-friends-for-almost-ten-years, and stir it with the spoon of homoerotic tension you have to which most of your friends can attest.

Now go and do likewise!