Tattoos Lead to Leprosy – Ronly Bonly Jones (1960) – Manhole Cover Not Part of Car (1949)

Lawrence Grobel, “Playboy Interview: Mel Gibson,” Playboy, July 1995, p. 55. Gibson: “My father had told me about some friends of his on leave during World War Two who went to Hawaii, got drunk and got tattooed in the same parlor. They all got leprosy.”

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School inspector R. B. Jones is pondering the inscrutable bureaucratic mind. Mr. Jones, who has neither a first or second name – only initials, had no trouble until he started working for the government. Payroll and personnel forms were filled out “R (only), B (only) Jones.” His pay cheque arrived this week – made out to “Ronly Bonly Jones.”

“Bonus in Name Only on R. B. Jones’ Cheque,” The Daily Colonist, Victoria, BC, 14 April 1960, p. 1.

“Ronly Bonly Only Baloney,” The Daily Colonist, Victoria, BC, 15 April 1960, p. 1.

See also Reader’s Digest Treasury of Wit and Humor (1958); Bennett Cerf, The Laugh’s on Me (1959).

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“Woman Learns What Part Big Steel Disks Play in Car Driving.” Daily Capital News, Jefferson City, Missouri, 26 October 1949. Widely published AP report.

 “Mrs. Fred Browne said she stopped and got out when she heard a clanging noise under her brand new car. | The car seemed to be running all right without the big steel disk lying on the road but she decided to take it home for her husband to look at. […] Hubbie took one look at the big steel disk and suggested she take the manhole cover back to the city works department.”