Where's Dale?

Sometimes just an innocent little statement or comment can set off a silly dialogue which can draw in normally silent bystanders.

And you know pholks, it's a rather neat thing and can end up getting your day off to a good start.
A few weeks ago at my morning coffee hangout spot, the Corner Café on Mineral King Avenue, someone asked about one of the other regulars, Dale, who hadn't shown up during his regular schedule.

The question, “Where's Dale?,” to which someone responded, “Maybe Dale is in jail,” started a string of comments and nonsensical responses which lasted about 20 minutes and since has become a standing joke which spontaneously re-emerges nearly every day.

Dale, of course, is not the kind of guy who would be in jail, which made the whole thing ever more amusing.
I admit to being one of the instigators to this caper and have prolonged it, along with the help of six or seven others, especially Byron Taylor, who along with his wife, Gail (which rhymes with Dale), run the busiest breakfast and lunch spot in town.

Since the initial launching of the silly phrase-craze game, the morning banter has become an abbreviated adventure, although at least once a week a new phrase or two is added to the mix.

In no specific order, here are some of the most often repeated phrases generated by the coffee crew, which also garners a few newcomers lucky or unlucky enough to get caught-up in the sticky web of words:

“Whose gonna make bail for Dale?” ''Why is Dale in Jail?” “Gail won't make bail for Dale.” “Dale is in jail sitting on a pail.” “Tell Dale the bail is in the mail.” “Maybe Dale isn't in jail but got run out of town on a rail.”

There's more:

“Maybe Dale went out to sail.” “Dale's bail is getting sent by a snail.”

“Dale is still sitting on the pail waiting for that bail.” “Dale is in jail with nothing to eat but a pail of kale.” “Dale is in jail for drinking too much ale.” Or “Dale is in jail and he doesn't even drink ale.”

“The wind is blowing up a gale while Dale sits in jail waiting for Byron or Gail to post his bail.” “Tickets are on sale for the trip to see Dale in jail.”

Of course, there are others and surely there will be more.

Dale generally doesn't get involved in the nonsense, he just shakes his head, grins and once in a while wonders out loud why he got involved in the childish game when he didn't do anything but not show up one day. He doesn't get upset and it probably wouldn't make much difference if he did. He likes to tease as well as being teased and he can give it out as well as take it. That's good.

But maybe it's about time we find someone else to be the focus of this silly game.

If your name is Sue, Bill, Jan, Phil, Mary, Frank, Dave, Dan, Cindy or Fred and don't have a sense of humor, you might not want to sit at the counter where most of the chatter is exchanged. Anyone with a two syllable name or one which is hard to rhyme like Jonathan, Melinda, Douglas, Phillip, Christopher, Michael, Ethan, Gerald, Glenda or Patrick probably is a little safer.

This might not be the kind of game some of you pholks would play, but it is good clean fun, good mental exercise, doesn't have any moving parts, pieces to lose, doesn't have to be plugged in or take batteries.

Plus it's something to do after reading the daily headlines, sports pages, funnies and the obits.

Miles can be reached at mshuper@valleyvoicenewspaper.com