Gregor and Mike

Mike was in conveyor belt-mode.  Government employees came to him one at a time.  He took their photo IDs, as well as one other government-approved means of identification, scanned them into his computer, took the employee's picture, and then called for the next government employee to sit in his chair so the process could start all over again.

Zon sat waiting to get on this conveyor belt.  He observed Mike making the same joke, employee after employee.  "I take your ID," said Mike, taking the ID cards from the employee, "and put them into the scanner and then send them to Gregor in Russia so that he can steal your identity and post it on Facebook."  The employees then would laugh uncomfortably, and shake their heads "no" as Mike assured them that he was just kidding.  Zon watched this over and over again and saw the opportunity to play.

"Next!"

Zon made his way to Mike's chair and sat.  Mike was kind, with the socially-appropriate amount of eye contact as he asked for Zon's ID cards.  Zon gave them to Mike as Mike put the needle back at the beginning of his record.  "I take your ID, and put them into the scanner and then send them to Gregor in Russia so that he can steal your identity and post it on Facebook."  Mike smiled to himself and was so accustomed to having the uncomfortable laughter that he almost missed Zon's response.
"Gregor's really a decent guy once you get to know him."
Mike spun to stare at Zon.
Zon smiled at Mike.
...Mike... didn't quite... know what to do.
Mike stared.
Zon smiled as he thought, "Is this like the airport where you can't make any kinds of jokes at all?"

Mike then shook his head.
"Don't do that," Mike told Zon, his smile gone.
Zon stopped.
Mike stared at Zon.
Mike was really not playing.
The awkward moment lingered.
Zon let his smile drop, and nodded as if to punctuate the moment in the hopes they all could move forward.
Mike then turned away from Zon, and returning to his scanner he said, under his breath, "Gregor's really a decent guy once you get to know him.  He's got a wife, Sonya.  She's nice, too."
Then Mike and his helper talked about football.  Mike had coached defense.  Both men wore lots of gel in their balding coifs.