I realized, a couple of weeks ago, that my laugh has changed. Thanks to the Everlasting Cough, I now sound like the elder Mr. Dawes of the Dawes, Tomes, Mousely, Grubbs Fidelity Fiduciary Bank of London, seen below (start around 8:05 for context; the laugh comes around 9:25).
It got really bad the week before last, when my theater class started reading The Importance of Being Earnest. It's a hilarious play on its own, but this year I've been blessed with some natural comedians who have just heightened Oscar Wilde's brilliance with their line readings.
One of the characters, Algernon, has invented a friend who conveniently falls ill whenever Algy wants to get out of a family gathering. He's named the friend Bunbury, and the action of escaping his family is called Bunburying.
The student who was reading Algernon the first day started off by reading the name as "BUNbury," and every time she read it thereafter, she said it the same way: "BUNbury." Soon, the student who was reading opposite her started it too, "BUNbury," until none of us could control our giggles any longer, and we all had to gasp for breath whenever BUNbury's name came up.
Anyway, that's the first time my Elder Mr. Dawes Laugh (EMDL) showed itself, and I found myself laughing not only at the BUNburying, but also at my own laugh. This made me laugh even harder. Then, when I looked up and everyone was staring at me openmouthed, I went off into another spurt of phlegmy laughter. Then, they all started laughing at ME laughing, which made me laugh harder than ever. And then, with tears streaming down my face, I had a massive coughing fit and one of my lungs popped out.
It was worth it.
****
Tonight was the season premiere of the latest Amazing Race. You guys, I love this show so much. I've seen every episode (admittedly, I had to watch the first two seasons in reruns), and it is appointment television for me. To say that I am a fan would be a tragic understatement; my love for this show cannot be expressed in mere words.
Tonight, though, the Amazing Race hit a new high for me. The teams had to carry giant cheese wheels down a hill. It sounds simple enough, right? Check it out below
(start at 6:05 for context; the cheese starts rolling around 8:00, and I started wheezing at 8:35):
I have watched this segment about six times now. Every time, I go straight into my EMDL, and every time, I think I get a little bit better.
Ms. Mei Flower
- Mei
- I'm a spinster schoolmarm with a degree in English; I watch artsy movies about British people; I knit while watching the History Channel; I listen to NPR in the car; I eat frozen dinners on the couch. Is that stereotypical enough for you? No? Well, then ... and I have a cat.
Reading
1 comment:
I could so see my big stinky cheese rolling down the hill if I had to do that. Ugh.
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