Being Mindful Stories

Joke · Ajahn Brahm

Joke: tickets for the policemen's ball

As told by Ajahn Brahm in Jealousy | by Ajahn Brahm | 15-11-2013

1 min read

Content note: crude double-entendre (he warns parents first)

The story — as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

A uh policeman in New South Wales saw a car speeding. So pulled it the car over. It was a woman driver. And so as soon as the woman driver opened up her window, she said to the policeman, "I suppose you stopped me to actually to uh get me to buy a ticket for the policeman's ball. And the policeman replied, "Peaceman don't have balls." And then realized what he was saying and said, "Have a good afternoon, madam."

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 59:40 (to 1:00:15)

A reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

After a cheeky policeman joke, Ajahn Brahm blames his 'bad joke disorder'. He can't help himself. Don't think less of yourself for your quirks or diagnoses either. Nobody picnics in a perfect government plantation; we love real forests, where every tree is bent and scarred. That's why they're beautiful, and so are you.

In brief (our summary)

A New South Wales policeman pulls over a speeding woman driver. She asks if he's stopped her to sell her a ticket for the policemen's ball. 'Policemen don't have balls,' he replies — then realises what he's said and wishes her a good afternoon.

Teaching point

Told against himself as his 'bad joke disorder': don't demean yourself for your quirks or disorders — no one is perfect.

When this story may help

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in Jealousy | by Ajahn Brahm | 15-11-2013 · 2013-11-17 · ▶ watch from 59:40 to 1:00:15 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Caption notes: YouTube auto-captions with machine-added punctuation; words left exactly as captioned. 'Peaceman don't have balls' = Policemen don't have balls.

The narrative is Ajahn Brahm's own telling, quoted from the talk captions. The summary and reflection are Being Mindful Stories's editorial notes. Please credit the teacher and link the original talk. Markdown version

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