I think you did good, I took no offense. I often get insecure about “Are they joking? I’ll give a serious reply in case they’re not, or in case someone else thinks they might be serious” myself, so I’m usually more concerned with the question “Is this clear enough as a joke?” than with blaming other people for not getting that.

I have an irrational aversion to suffixing my posts with tone markers like “(joke)” that I probably should do something about. It would certainly help with that confusion.

Either way, offering a serious take as a safety measure is a good thing, and I appreciate that you took the time.

May life be as kind to you as you are to others!