Bill, puns don't have a fine edge, they only get worse as they get better!

BTW, Shileds Folk: I tried your "perm" joke at Bedford Folk Club last night: there was a deathly silence for about thirty seconds, and then four people burst out laughing at exactly the same time.

Here's one from the "Golden Treasury of Children's Stories" (Odhams, 1937):
Passenger (to ship's Irish cook): "Excuse me, are you the mate?"
Cook: "No, but I'm the b'y that cooks the mate!"

You have thirty seconds ...

Steve