After listening to a tape of Gary Gagg's best jokes, the problem arises that Gary is afraid to tell jokes in Bogusville because he thinks that everyone will hate him after his "killer joke." Gary's killer joke, according to Gary, was a joke which was unintended. Gary had meant to say the normal joke but his mouth, which seemed to have a "mind of its own," said a different punchline, ending in a killer joke and forcing Gary to play the joke on a tape and listen to it many times until he got used to the joke. However, Mrs Trifle asks Gary to tell the elephant and mouse joke which Gary has tried to improve, but with no success.