Title: Final Punch Author: bookishtype Character: Wash Rating: G Word Count: 200

It was a small crowd tonight, he could hear a smattering of laughter coming from most directions. The odd squeak of a chair being moved when the person shifted their weight when they laughed. He could always tell by chair squeaks whether he was having a good night. The lights shone brightly making him perspire, it didn’t help that this planet terraformed into a tropical environment.

The beads of sweat rolled down his face, as he grabbed a towel mid-sentence to wipe them off. He continued. Beyond the lights there was only blurs, occassionally the barman would wipe the countertop or be leaning against the back wall listening in.

This was it, his coup de grace, the punchline was only a sentence away and he would kill them all with it.

“Got any bread?”

Laughter from the blackness came flowing onto the stage. He smiled, happy that his spot was done for the night. Wash hated open mike nights generally but this planet was an interesting place.

Wash set the mike back on the stand as the announcers voice came over, “Ladies and Gentleman that was Hoban Washburne! Now please make welcome Lydia the Juggler and her gaggle of geese!!”