And then ....

I found $20.

My friend just taught me that phrase. Has it ever happened to you? You've been telling a story, and it's just not going where you expected it to, and the people who are listening are obviously tuning out, their eyes glazing over or searching the room for a polite comment they can make that will serve to distract and interrupt you? You get the hint (duh), and instead of branding yourself forever as the teller of boring stories, you wrap it up quick with a completely unrelated punchline—"And then, I found $20."

Try it. It's brilliant.