On this Memorial day weekend, as we approach the day we celebrate our patriarchs, I saw this video on Ted Posted on our reason for laughter. Who knew I would be a father to 4 lil boys but I am. They grow and challenge me more and more everyday. Sometimes its fun and other times its not. You can’t always be the good guy. I thnk this one stings a little more because this year my grandfather is now also gone.
From a young age I was fond of laughter. I would read and tell every joke that I could find. Marveling in the response and joy on people’s faces. My buddy Steve and I must have performed every practical joke and trick in elementary. So much so that by the time I met Javier in college he had difficulty trying to pull tricks on me. It wasn’t his fault. I had been there and done that. I spent hours on end reading books and consequently annoying my mother and sister with riddles. This one was told on ComicRelief and I told it many times myself around the age of 8 or 9.
To the point that my mom and sister swore that I would have children that would do the same to me. They were half right. I would go on to have sons that would follow me around telling me jokes but I’m not annoyed at all. I’m rather proud of their interest in the process. Most folks would find humor in how I tutor their joke telling in the same way other fathers coach a spiral or a free-throw. I don’t know how to be any other type of father than the one that I am.
I would watch Stand-up after stand-up that were aired on HBO. My auntie Helen would go on to tell me that my attention to words reminded her of George Carlin. Which I deemed a huge compliment. I’m not sure if I ever really wanted to be a comedian but I have always loved telling stories. I was amazed by the nuanced use of language. Homonyms , tone , and timing in the correct sequence can produce laughter that can overwhelm. You can laugh too hard. Its possible to laugh til you hurt, snort, pee, fart or otherwise soil yourself. There really can be too much of a good thing.
My hat is off to all those men that participate consistently in their childrens lives. Get to see what delight looks like in the eyes of kids. Wipe their tears and clean those scraped knees. The best moments are the ones unplanned. And the unplanned moments make the best stories. Its truly a treasure that can’t be measured in dollars and cents.
I don’t care to do the math, but lets leave it at that my father didn’t get to enjoy who are his grandsons. I tell as many stories as I can remeber about him. That can never match first person experience. Hugging him and touching his beard. Recognizing for themselves that their daddy has a beard like grandpa or they have eyes or eyebrows like him. But most of all. If there is one thing that I miss about my father that I could share with my sons. Is just for one moment if they could induce and enjoy the laugh that he would release so often. He wasn’t shy with it. Maybe its the period of time that I was raised but his chuckle always reminded me of Eddie Murphy’s laugh. That’s my one wish.
MKWRTHY 