We’ve all experienced this before. You’re an angel if you haven’t. I’m talking about those moments when it is quite possibly the most inappropriate time to laugh, yet there we are, rolling on the floor, tears streaming down our faces as a contorted mixture of laugher and wheezy gasps escape our mouths. Wow, are those times not only extremely awkward, but can result in us looking about as insensitive as a flea (I apologise to any fleas reading this who do feel that they are indeed sensitive creatures and have thus been misjudged within my piece of writing).
The number of times I have found myself in this situation is ridiculous. Let me list a few examples – the other day, my teacher tripped over a computer cord and while most of the class reacted in a “Oh my gosh are you okay?” kind of way, there were those few students who reacted like me… in a clutching stomach, biting fist, trying to control ourselves from a fit of laughter kind of way. BOY OH BOY, was it funny! But it was also a non-laughing situation (according to the teacher). Then there are more serious examples, like the time someone told me that a friend of theirs was extremely sick. 99.999% of the population would react the normal way, by sympathising with them and giving a reassuring hug, but NO!! What do I do? I giggle. GIGGLE. Not only did I want to slap myself, but I’m pretty sure the other person wanted to slap me too – and I wouldn’t blame them if they did.
Don’t ask me why I do it – I don’t know and probably never will. I guess I’m missing a piece of my brain that is responsible for the “Lauren, it is time to stop laughing” thought process that will allow me to become a regular human capable of being sensitive. But who knows.
I’m writing this post as a recognition to all those people out there who are have been in a situation like this before. I want to stand on top of a mountain and shout “I, AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF PEOPLE WHO LAUGH AT THE WRONG TIME, WANT TO APOLOGISE TO ALL THOSE POOR HUMAN BEINGS WHO HAVE HAD TO EXPERIENCE THE WRATH OF OUR CACKLING. WE DO NOT MEAN TO LAUGH, WE JUST CAN’T HELP IT. ”
I promise you that I’ll try to keep my untimely laughter to myself. But until then, I’ll carry on being that awkward, sometimes heartless girl, who continues laughing even when the last joke is over.
Minkoss 