“Bob, I can’t get them to laugh,” 
cried out the director
in great distress as she paced,

glancing back and forth

between the sullen audience

and wooden actors.
Stony faces, glassy eyes, 
plastic smiles: Bob had bought
the wrong components
for the production assembly.

“****** Bob, how much did you spend?”

Bob shrugged, pulled out

a handful of change from his pockets.
“Back to the store you go, Bob!”

He fumbled through the shelves,

cut his finger on an opened can,

the last one that was labelled 

“Laughter”.