A blind man walks into a bar.

This classic bar joke plays on a delightful bit of literal interpretation, twisting a familiar setup into something unexpected. The phrase "a man walks into a bar" is such a common comedic opener that we automatically anticipate the next part of the story to be a verbal exchange or an observation about the establishment. Our brains are primed for a narrative where "walks into" means "enters."

However, the punchline brilliantly subverts this expectation. By adding "and a table. And a chair," the joke forces us to re-evaluate the initial phrase. Suddenly, "walks into" takes on its literal meaning of colliding with something. The fact that the protagonist is a blind man adds a layer of unfortunate but understandable realism to the literal interpretation, making the physical comedy of the situation all the more vivid and, in a dark humor kind of way, amusing. It's a clever bit of wordplay that relies on misdirection (Review) and then a sudden, literal clarification for its chuckle-worthy effect.