013) The RCMP Desk Sergeant and the Terrace Political Joke

The RCMP Desk Sergeant clutched his stomach in unrestrained mirth as he laughed helplessly.

'What's so funny?' asked the corporal.

'I just got off the phone with the desk sergeant up in Terrace,' he answered. 'That guy is a barrel of laughs, I gotta tell you. He's always making up jokes. He told me one about some college teacher up there named Tugwood who walks past Mayor Pernarowski's house every day because it's on his way to the college. The mayor is the local nut case. His dogs are loose half the time and they attack everybody- including Tugwood.'

'That's not that funny so far, sergeant,' the corporal braved- the sergeant not usually given to accepting criticism kindly.

'No, no it is funny! This one time the prof lost it and yelled at the dogs. Next thing you know the mayor goes nuts. He goes to the college personnel department and tries to get Tugwood fired! Haaaa! haaa! ' the sergeant couldn't help bursting out anew. 'Tugwood's union rep and the college personnel guy were called out and the whole nine yards. That didn't work because Tugwood has been teaching there for over twenty years and they know him pretty well. The mayor yelled and screamed for fifteen minutes before they got him calmed down enough to go away.'

It was apparent from the corporal's expression that he still couldn't really see what was so funny, but the sergeant continued undaunted.

' So that didn't work, see? It was pretty obvious to all the college guys the mayor is nuts.'

'I still don't get the joke,' the corporal said.

' That's a pretty big detachment up there' the sergeant continued. 'Forty- five members and fifteen civilians. Mayor Pernarowski phoned our head man up there, Inspector Hart, and told him to get his personal ass in gear and go after the prof. himself! '

'I think I see it coming,' the corporal brightened. 'The Inspector dropped everything and personally put the fear of the force on the prof for yelling at the Mayor's dogs! Right!'
'Right!' enthused the sergeant.

There followed a couple of minutes of quiet paper work with occassional chuckles issuing alternately from the two, when the sergeant suddenly wondered aloud, 'You know, I wonder if this might not be a joke. that Inspector Dana's main claim to fame is being a bodyguard for political big shots. You don't suppose he actually takes orders from the crazy mayor? Naw! Couldn't be.'

The Inspector                                                            The Mayor