to ask for your help solving this impossible riddle/joke

[killingtime9198]

My best friend's family have a family 'joke', which she originally told me about when we were about 12/13. When she originally told me she didn't get the joke either, but then later did manage to work it out. When she first met her now husband he didn't get it, but he later also worked it out. I have never managed to get it, and every now and again I will remember the saga of this joke (this has been going on for about 20 years now), try desperately for a few days to work it out and then forget all about it for months.

Anyway, I wonder if the powers of mumsnet can either locate someone who has heard this 'joke' before, or who can work it out!

The joke is:

'There once was a man called Boswell. For short they called him Bos, and he walked up the post office steps.'

The joke is definitely NOT that there is no joke, and they're all having a laugh at me for trying to work it out - I am 100% confident of this.

I still don't see it... but there is a book "The Life of Johnson" by James Boswell. And it does have a post office in it!

[https://books.google.ie/books?id=pFfbNkf5JI4C&pg=PA356&lpg=PA356&dq=joke+%22boswell%22+post+office&source=bl&ots=Hbsw_eEHza&sig=VTYTtD9oR1NvhrhbRlGjmD0n880&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiLkaKU14PfAhUyoXEKHVUZCJIQ6AEwC3oECAMQAQ#v=onepage&q=joke%20%22boswell%22%20post%20office&f=false here]

I don't get what people are saying about the 'well' bit - surely that doesn't work as it goes

'There once was a man called Boswell. For short they called him 'Bos'. And he walked up the post office steps'

I want to wait until I see her to ask her as I think she'll be more likely to give something away! I know that another friend at school got PART of it, or 'almost' got it, and then my friend basically lead her to the answer. So I wonder if we have part of it with the letters/post office or short/steps theories, and if I mention to her in person she might be more likely to give the rest away (if there is a rest...)

I saw that too BlueJava, something about a wooden leg 🤷🏼‍♀️ A joke shouldn’t require that much investigation though.

He was well for short!

Johnson amd Boswell are both famous.

Chick what do you mean? You’re not the friend popping up are you?

I’m getting no work done today

Op missed the ‘well’ bit out of her original post.

Well for short he was called Bos.

Well for short!

There once was a poster called BollockToBrexit. She understood the threads, now she hasn't got a fekkin clue.

Sorted!

chick Explain slowly and clearly please. Write the joke as it should be said. then explain it.

When will you see her?

chick ok, but what's that got to do with the post office steps?

Op have you ever asked her about the well bit?

I think it’s simething to do with him being ‘well for short’.

I don’t think the post office steps have anything to do with the joke. I think the emphasis is on the ‘well for short’

To clarify, I didn't miss anything out of my original post, I just wondered if when said aloud it could be 'There once was a man called Bos. Well, for short they called him Bos...etc. etc.'

BUT

As I said, I have seen it written down and it is 'There once was a man called Boswell. For short they called him Bos. And he walked up the post office steps.'

There once was a man called Boswell. For short they called him 'Bos'. And he walked up the post office steps'

Ok. My mangled ideas....
There was a man called Bos. (He was) well for short (as in, well for a short man??)
They called him "bos" (as in, they shouted his name)
And he walked up the steps to the post office. The ones who called him were in the post office?

I think your right about the well for short, have you mentioned that to your friend before?

PPs have it - Bos reclaimed the missing letters and the extra height by ascending the stairs (getting taller) to the PO.

@whoskeys good answer.

A few years ago a face cream advertised on TV boasted that it contained 'Boswellox'.
DH, not usually known for lightning wit came out with 'Is that because when you rub it on it makes you look like Freddy Boswell', the raddled old shagger dad in 'Bread'.
We did chuckle.
Bloody site funnier than this riddle/joke.

Chick, do you mean like 'welfare short'?

I'm wondering round the house mumbling 'welfershort' over and over

@JessFine well as in healthy

And he = Andy?!

It's a very odd joke. Can I put "boss walked up the post of his steps" into the mix? Like a bannister or newel post maybe. Not that it makes any more sense really. But a boss is an architectural feature, like a knob I think.

Oh I see, thanks. So the post office steps are very long then.

omg I know this family! Or I know another family who do the exact same thing. Has driven me mad for YEARS. So deeply smug.

If you find out, PLEASE tell us. It's bothered me on and off forever.