This is the sad tale of an assistant to Quasimodo, the hunchback of Notre Dame, and as it turns out, his brother.
(This is one of my 2-part jokes, not exactly a one-liner. )
Quasimodo, as you may know, worked in the Notre Dame cathedral ringing the bells in the tower.
One day he asked the Archdeacon if he would hire a assistant to help him since the work was so hard, especially with his disability.
A few days later Quas (as we called him) was in the tower mopping the floor when he heard someone climb the steps and enter the room.
Quas came close and peered at the men in surprise: The man had no arms.
Quas asked, "Who are you?"
The guy said cheerfully, "I'm your new assistant, if you'll have me!"
Quas said, "You won't do! You have no arms, you can't ring the bell!"
The poor guy pleaded, "Oh sir, give me a chance, please. I have a wife and two little kids at home and with no arms it is so hard to find work. Please give me a chance!"
Well, Quas was nothing if not kindhearted so he pointed to the largest bell, "OK, if you can ring this bell you can have the job."
The guy was so excited. He backed up way across the tower floor, got ready, and ran across the room and smashed his face into the bell! Dong! dong! Dong!
Quas went over and helped the guy to his feet, face bloody, front teeth missing. "OK, that was impressive! But you can't possibly do that more than once!"
"Oh please sir," said the man, "let me show you. Oh please, I beg you."
"Ok," sighed Quas, "if you can do that again you have the job."
The guy gleefully repeated the performance and rang the bell again with his face. But, gasp, this time he slipped on the floor and went tumbling out the window of the bell tower!!
Quas looked out the window and saw the man on the ground far below.
Quas slowly shuffled down the stairs. By the time he got out to the courtyard there was a circle of people looking at the broken body on the ground.
One asked quietly, "Who was that man?"
Quas said "Sorry, I didn't catch his name, but his face sure rings a bell."
The very next day...
Quas was again in the bell tower, slowly cleaning the big bell when he again heard someone climb the stairs.
When a man entered the bell room Quas looked at him in shock, "WHO are YOU?" This guy looked
exactly like the other guy - and amazingly, he TOO had no arms!
The new guy sounded desperate, "Kind sir, my twin brother was here yesterday for the job. But after his accident I am left to care for not only his family but my own. Oh please Sir, I really need this job, please, please."
Well, to make a long story a bit shorter the same thing happened to him as to his brother - the guy rang the bell with is face then somehow fell out the window the second time.
Once again, by the time Quas made it down to the courtyard there was another ring of people looking sadly down at the poor, broken body on the ground.
One of them asked, "Does anyone know who that man was?"
Quas said, "Well I don't know his name but he's a dead ringer for his brother..."
(OK I'll quit now!! BTW, I heard the first part long ago but changed it a bit and made up the second part.
I've been telling this for maybe 50 years now, on the rare occasion I find someone who will stay long enough to listen! It's gotten plenty of groans...)
JKJ