"...and then I found five dollars/bucks."

[Jim Fitzpatrick]

Hi all,

Long-time lurker, first-time poster.

I searched the archives for instances of "...and then I found five
dollars/bucks" as an end-of-narrative tag that is used when it is apparent
that the story/joke being told is just flopping.  In my experience, it seems
like the teller overestimates the relevance of the story or joke or its
potential to evoke a reaction.

When I see people use it, I make a point to ask them why.  They usually
report something along the lines of knowing that finding money, even a small
amount like five bucks, is generally enough to get a reaction of some kind
from the other interlocutor(s).

What I would like to know is if other people have noticed this, since I have
been having discussions about its usage and how it tends to crop up.
Anything anyone has to say would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Jim Fitzpatrick

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