Bowed Jokes

Kantibhai Lalloobhai, emigrating to Europe by ship happened to share the table with a Frenchman. As they met for the repast, the Frenchman bowed and wished him bon appetit. Kantibhai, believing the other man was introducing himself, responded,' Kantibhai Lalloobhai.'

So it went on at every meal till a friend told Kantibhai what bon appetit meant. The next time he encountered the Frenchman, Kantibhai bowed and said bon appetit. The Frenchman responded,' Kantibhai Lalloobhai.'

It was Tracy's first crossing, and he was assigned to a table with a suave Frenchman. The first night out, the Frenchman rose, bowed slightly, and said, "Bon appetit."Tracy got to his feet, bowed and said, "Tracy."
The following morning, at breakfast, then at lunch and again at dinner, the ceremony was repeated and Tracy found his politeness wearing a little thin. "It's beginning to annoy me," he told a companion in the lounge. "Same thing over and over: he tells me his name, Bon appetit, I tell him mine and we do it all over again at the next meal."
His companion, a bit more worldly than Tracy, laughed. "He's not introducing himself. Bon appetit is French for' good appetite.' He's hoping that you enjoy your meal."
Tracy felt pretty silly. The next morning when he appeared at breakfast, the Frenchman was already seated. Tracy bowed and said, "Bon appetit." Whereupon the Frenchman jumped up, bowed and answered, more...

Mr Goldberg, from Pinsk, coming to America, shared a table in the ship's dining room with a Frenchman. Mr Goldberg could speak neither French nor English; the Frenchman could speak neither Russian nor Yiddish.

The first day out, the Frenchman approached the table, bowed and said, "Bon appétit!"
Goldberg, puzzled for a moment, bowed back and replied "Goldberg."

Every day, at every meal, the same routine occured.

On the fifth day, another passenger took Goldberg aside. "Listen, the Frenchman isn't telling you his name. He's saying' Good Appetite,' that's what' Bon appétit!' means."

At the next meal, Mr Goldberg, beaming, bowed to the Frenchman and said, "Bon appétit!".
And the Frenchman, beaming, replied: "Goldberg!"

A man was visiting his sister and her husband who lived on a farm in a poor district of the country. Since they had limited accommodations, he had to sleep with his young nephew.
When he entered the bedroom, he saw his small nephew kneeling at the side of the bed with his head bowed. Thinking this was the child's religious upbringing, he decided to present a good example and kneeled at the other side of the bed with his head bowed.
His nephew looked over and asked, "Whatcha doin'?"
"Why, I'm doing the same thing you're doing," replied the uncle.
"Ma's going to be mad," the nephew said. "The pot's on this side!"

Little Johnny's dad was a farmer in a poor district of the country. One day his Uncle Andy came to visit. Since there were limited accommodations, he was required to sleep with his young nephew, Little Johnny.
When Uncle Andy came into the bedroom, he saw the Little Johnny Kneeling at the side of the bed with his head bowed.
Thinking this was the child's religious upbringing, he decided to present a good example and kneeled at the other side of the bed with his head bowed.
Little Johnny looked up and said, "What are you doing?"
"Why, the same thing you're doing", replied Uncle Andy.
"Mom is going to be mad", said Little Johnny.
"Why will she be mad?" asked Uncle Andy.
"Because the bed pan's on this side!"