he had known that this had been a risky gambit , and was always going to go one of two ways : either the crowd would fall about laughing being composed of relaxed , wide-awake , good-for-laugh types , who one wouldnt mind at all spending an evening with ; or they would be serious , humourless , sombre log-like-green junkies , who would simply not get it , and remain as silent as tombstones .