“Oh my name is Ticklish Ruben, from way down in ol’ Vermont. I’ve been ticked by almost everything --
I’ve been tickled by a feather.
I’ve been tickled by a wasp.
I’ve been tickled by a yell’er bumble bee.”
(repeat Hah, hahs… ad infinitum)
So yesterday, after writing in the library about the sudden snow fall and the bright blue skies, I turned in the laptop, checked out a book, and headed for the exit.
I paused, again, as I was confronted with a wall of white. Blinking, I realized a whirling storm had kicked up. Snow was whipping around having come, apparently, from the boundless canopy of gray skies.
To wake up to blue skies and an unforeseen carpeting of snow to a feverous storm in less than two hours just triggered something in me.
For a few seconds, my maniacal laughter bounced off the glass panels in the entryway doors.
As I charged into the storm, I thought, “Well there’s my one psychotic laugh for March.”
Let me backtrack a bit…
I have been often told, “You have a funny laugh, Caleb.”
I typically respond with a clarification, “I have a lot of funny laughs.”
I chuckle, guffaw, yelp, silently quiver, hoot, snicker, chortle and otherwise express my hysterics.
Whatever vocal tact I choose, it is often piercing. More than once in college I remember attending lectures in crowded auditoriums and friends later telling me, “I didn’t see you in class today, but because of your laugh, I knew you were in there somewhere.”
There’s one laugh I try not to share, however.
Every once in a full moon, I have a brief, disconnected howling fit. They’re like three- to eight-second breaks with reality where, for a moment, I completely lose everything in a moment of laughter.
They are strangely relaxing, but I try to avoid them. If anything is a sign of mental disease, uncontrollable, hysteric laughter is probably an indicator. When these bouts happen I worry that A) someone might see me and have me committed and/or B) one of these times I won’t stop laughing.
The crazed laughter eerily reminds me of cackling mad scientists from the movies who are reveling in the latest accomplishment concerning their creature(s).
“Yes…. YESS!!! BRING IT TOO LIFE! HA, HA, HAH!!!!!!!”
And while the mad scientist plunges into a series of cavortations, f the camera ever panned to the corner I bet you could see a very concerned Igor reevaluating his career choices.
One look in his crossed eyes would tell you he’s thinking, “Wow. Victor’s lost it. I really need to think about getting another job. Boy, in retrospect, dropping out of community college to join a jug band was not a smart decision.”
To avoid blank, Igor-like stares, I try to limit my moments of madness to about once a month (though I allow two for months with major holidays and three for around Christmas for, well, obvious reasons. Craziness is always closer to the surface during those times).
I’ve been worried once or twice because I sometimes have the monthly moment early on. I was really concerned a couple months back because I found myself cackling on the first day of the month. “It’s going to be a long 30 days,” thought. “Or maybe just 29. Is this one of the shorter months? Thirty days past September, April, June, and November…”
So anyway, I’ve had my big laugh for the month, but only have to wait a week or two before the counter resets.
I know the Bible says a merry heart is like a medicine, but when one starts guzzling cough syrup, it moves past preventative measures and starts becoming extreme.
I’ve had enough of Emily Dickinson’s divinest sense for now… at least for this month.
said...
I'm so glad it's not just me that has these moments of divine hilarity! I've also got a unique laugh for every occasion - most of them are loud although I can usually keep it to minimum decibels when need be (ie.weddings, bar mitzvahs). Your post made me laugh! Mwahahahaha, Mwahahahaha.....
Caleb Michael said...
"Divine hilarity" - I'm going to need to start calling it that.
As for the mwahahahahas, you need to be careful. Two or three more and they start prepping you for a room with a strap-down bed and rubber wallpaper... or so I'm told.
said...
Right, thanks for the advice. I was wondering what those nice young men in white coats were looking at...
Caleb Michael said...
Now I'd hate to put you off their trail in the case they were actually interested in you non-psychiatric reasons (although, love does often cause one to mirror some mental diseases), but if they bring out a stretcher and a jacket with extra long sleeves, RUN!