Laugh With Me

This is a phrase Bryan would often include in his texts and instant messages. I love this expression. It’s a core component of how we were together and of my being now. While I revere the people who sit with me in silent tears or who can rage against the evils of the world by my side, it’s the shared laughter that keeps me afloat. I tell dumb jokes, silly stories, anecdotes of my foibles, and I like off-color, off-kilter, poor-taste humor, too. (Sorry, mama.) If I can make anyone laugh over the course of the day, it hasn’t been a failure. Here’s a little story that hopefully will bring some laughter…

On the two-nap, two-bath solstice, I went to a party that was a sort of open-house. We live in a small town and the Venn diagram of friends and acquaintances that Mary and I share have a big overlapping section. She and her housemate were going to the same party, but we didn’t schedule our timing. As I headed to College Place with a box of crackers and a little charcuterie plate, I saw a tiny chihuahua-esque doggo crossing the road in the dark. I honked. I stomped on the break. The box fell to the floor. My brights were on and a car was approaching. My number one goal–DON’T KILL THE DOG! Meanwhile, I’m flashing my lights, turning them off and on in adrenaline-fueled attempt to dim them and warn of the dog. The approaching car flashed their lights back at me and I carried on in chagrin and grim determination to get to the party, dog unscathed, oncoming traffic unscathed, Becci unscathed, box of crackers only slightly dented.

When I arrived at my friends’ home, I learned that Mary and her housemate had just left. They were the poor recipients of my erratic driving behavior. I texted her right away and got to explain myself. THAT NEVER GETS TO HAPPEN. I called it a comedy of errors in one act. We had a good chuckle and a reminder that we often don’t know the full extent of the story. Bryan used to say if you don’t know all the details and you’re going to imagine a narrative, pick the one that makes you feel the best. I’ll add to that, maybe pick the one that makes you laugh the most.

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