Maxine began to wonder…might Horst actually have a preference for women named after inexpensive cigars, was there perhaps a Philippa “Philly” Blunt stashed in London he's playing FTSE with, some alluring Asian arbitrix named Roi-Tan in a cheongsam and one of those little haircuts…

tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep

In this way it [humor] can be used to set up alliances and oppositions, and can act as pre-persuasion even before the central topic of a communication is begun.

After last night’s party we were all feeling pretty seedy.