Connectic Energy tells us a rail tail about his ride back to Stamford after a media-industry wingding last night. Some burly guy boards with a pair of tallboys, wearing a mug that looks like he’s already downed a half-dozen of them.

The guy’s got the gift of the gab, chatting away at everyone within earshot, especially the pair of comely young ladies seated nearby, who find themselves laughing along with his ‘let’s turn this train ride into a party’ routine.

The guy is inviting fellow riders over to his five-seater with lines like, ‘c’mon, you KNOW you wanna join us’, some are actually taking him up on it, and everyone’s sharing a good laugh.

The conductor comes around. Mr. Big Jokey Guy even tries to pull the Man in Blue into his web of bon homie, riffing along the lines of, “What if I don’t have a ticket? What if I just don’t have one? What would you do?”

The conductor apparently missed the wink, the nudge, whatever cue the Big Jokey Guy offers. Or he simply wanted to punch his tickets and get his job done.

After several awkward moments, Big Jokey Guy pulls out his ticket, and tries to show the conductor it was all a big joke. All in fun, dude!

Conductor doesn’t see it that way, angrily shaking his head and storming on to the next rider.

Unfortunately, no one in Big Jokey Guy’s new social circle sees it that way either. Silence envelopes the car, and people gradually start inching away from him–returning to their books, their Blackberrys, their sleep.

Party’s over.