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Hardy: Aye, aye, sir.
Nelson: Hold on, that's not what I
dictated to the signal officer. What's the meaning of this?
Hardy: Sorry, sir?
Nelson: (reading aloud): '
Hardy: Admiralty policy, I'm
afraid, sir. We're an equal opportunities employer now. We had the
devil's own job getting '
Nelson: Gadzooks, Hardy! Hand me my
pipe and tobacco.
Hardy: Sorry, sir. All naval
vessels have been designated smoke-free working environments.
Nelson: In that case, break open
the rum ration. Let us splice the main brace to steel the men before
battle.
Hardy: The rum ration has been
abolished, Admiral. It's part of the Government's policy on binge
drinking.
Nelson: Good heavens, Hardy.
I suppose we'd better get on with it... Full speed ahead.
Hardy: I think you'll find that
there's a four knot speed limit in this stretch of water.
Nelson: Damn it, man! We are on the
eve of the greatest sea battle in history. We must advance with all
dispatch. Report from the crow's nest, please.
Hardy: That won't be possible, sir.
Nelson: What?
Hardy: Health and Safety have
closed the crow's nest, sir. No harness. And they said the rope ladder
doesn't meet regulations. They won't let anyone up there until a proper
scaffolding can be erected.
Nelson: Then get me the ship's
carpenter without delay, Hardy.
Hardy: He's busy knocking up a
wheelchair access to the fo'c'sle, Admiral.
Nelson: Wheelchair access? I've
never heard anything so absurd.
Hardy: Health and Safety again,
sir. We have to provide a barrier-free environment for the differently
abled.
Nelson: Differently abled? I've
only one arm and one eye and I refuse even to hear mention of the
word. I didn't rise to the rank of admiral by playing the
disability card.
Hardy: Actually, sir, you did. The
Royal Navy is under represented in the areas of visual impairment and
limb deficiency.
Nelson: Whatever next? Give me full
sail. The salt spray beckons.
Hardy: A couple of problems there
too, sir. Health and Safety won't let the crew up the rigging without
hard hats. And they don't want anyone breathing in too much salt -
haven't you seen the adverts?
Nelson: I've never heard such
infamy. Break out the cannon and tell the men to stand by to engage the
enemy.
Hardy: The men are a bit worried
about shooting at anyone, Admiral.
Nelson: What? This is mutiny.
Hardy: It's not that, sir.
It's just that they're afraid of being charged with murder if they
actually kill anyone. There's a couple of legal-aid lawyers on board,
watching everyone like hawks.
Nelson: Then how are we to sink the
Frenchies and the Spanish?
Hardy: Actually, sir, we're not.
Nelson: We're not?
Hardy: No, sir. The Frenchies and
the Spanish are our European partners now. According to the Common
Fisheries Policy we shouldn't even be in this stretch of
water We could get hit with a claim for compensation
Nelson: But you must hate a
Frenchman as you hate the devil.
Hardy: ! wouldn't let the ship's
diversity co-ordinator hear you saying that, sir You'll be up on
disciplinary.
Nelson: You must consider every man
an enemy, who speaks ill of your King.
Hardy: Not any more, sir. We must
be inclusive in this multicultural age. Now put on your Kevlar vest;
it's the rules. It could save your life.
Nelson: Don't tell me - health and
safety. Whatever happened to rum, sodomy and the lash?
Hardy: As ! explained, sir, rum is
off the menu! And there's a ban on corpora! punishment.
Nelson: What about sodomy?
Hardy: l believe that's now legal,
sir.
Nelson: in that case... kiss me, Hardy!




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