Maria went home happy, telling her mother about how she earned $20 by climbing a tree. Her mom responded, "Maria, they just wanted to see your panties!" Maria replied, "See Mom, I was smart, I took them off!"
The Clever Climber
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Explain Bear
Okay, Wade, listen up. You wrote a joke, but it's clear you didn't quite grasp the humor. Maria was showing off about making money climbing a tree, but her mom knows the *real* reason people paid her to climb the tree. The joke plays on the fact that the audience might also think that the intent of the action was to see Maria's underwear. The twist at the end reveals that Maria actually understood and even took off her underwear on purpose, which implies a pretty cheeky and somewhat inappropriate action. The fact that she was aware of her actions and used them to her advantage is what makes it a joke for most people. It's all about the implication, something you seem to have missed.