Knah-knah." The little girl said for about the millionth time in half an hour. JD sighed deeply.
"Who's there?" He'd long ago given up any pretense at caring.
"Banama!" The shining, chubby, three-year old face gave him a toothy happy grin. JD sighed again.
"Banana who." It came out a defeated statement. The little mouth twisted into one more puzzled grimace as she contemplated – again – what her answer was supposed to be.
"Umm…knah-knah…"
"Who's there."
JD had realized about twenty seven minutes before that she didn't know who was there, but she refused to let the game end. He was watching the little girl, Nora, for a friend of Casey's so that the two women could go to a wedding shower together. Nettie promised she'd be home in time for JD to go to the football game with the guys. He only had to hold out another twenty minutes.
"Banama…"
"Banana who."
Which threatened to be another twenty minutes of the same knock-knock joke on tape delay as they sat together on Nettie's sofa.
JD realized his attention had wandered when the chubby hand determinedly tugged on his sleeve.
"Yay Dee! Sposed say 'hoozaire'. I say 'knah knah', you say 'hoozaire'."
He barely managed to suppress a growl of aggravation.
"Who's there…"
"Banama."
The next round of torture was interrupted by the doorbell. JD almost ran to the front door, little Nora toddling behind him in her corduroy overalls and Clifford the Big Red Dog turtleneck. Ezra stood on the top step.
"Ezra, am I glad to see you." JD all but pulled him inside.
"Yes, well…" Ezra stopped a moment inside the door to readjust the coat sleeve JD had been tugging him in by. "I know I am somewhat ahead of schedule for our general rendezvous, however I was informed of your current charge and wanted to avail myself of the opportunity to make the young lady's acquaintance."
"Yay Dee wone play knah-knah wif me!" A tiny foot stamped its tiny shiny patent leather shoe on the tile floor of the front hallway.
"Why the cad." Ezra said. "I myself would be most happy to engage in a rousing game of knock-knock."
He offered his hand down to the little girl, who took it and energetically led him back to the front room.
"You'll regret it." JD warned him.
"Nonsense." Ezra took the place on the sofa that Nora pushed him towards, before she crawled up next to him. She filled herself up with more breath than was actually necessary, before launching her barrage.
"Knah-knah."
"Who's there?" Ezra asked brightly.
"Banama."
"Banama who?" He asked again, just as brightly.
"Umm…" One small pointy lower tooth showed at the corner of Nora's mouth as she struggled with her memory and chewed her lip. "Knah-knah."
"Who's there?" Ezra spoke in the same cheerful, interested tone of voice. He ignored JD's muttered 'told you' and offered, "Orange?"
Nora's face lit up with delight.
"Ornja glad din say banama?" she shouted, and bounced in her seat before flinging her arms around Ezra's neck, her entire body alive with glee.
"Yes, I am glad you didn't say banama." He said. JD threw himself onto the couch with exhausted disgust.
"Orange you glad I didn't say banana…for crying in the sink…"
Ezra got to his feet, little Nora in his arms. "I believe that wonderful knock-knock joke deserves some cookies and milk." He said to the little girl, and spared a look to JD as he walked past. He shook his head. "I detest amateurs…"
The end.