Zona

I was happy. I was content. I was watching American Idol when....

my son set down book two of The Complete Calvin and Hobbes next to the love seat. I was on the sofa. I picked the book up. Let me FIRST say that this is a magnificently done series. Top notch printing. Really done well and worth the $$$ if you are as big a Calvin and Hobbes fan as me and my youngest.

So I open the book right to the strips where Calvin's dad is trying to take a picture of him....and I lose it.

Let me explain my laugh. It starts off normal and then accelerates to the point where I start to coughlaugh. Then it falls silent as I hit the floor on all fours and the neighborhood dogs start to howl. I begin rolling around making faint whining laugh noises. This is the point where the kids come running from wherever they are to laugh at me laughing. My eyes are tight shut to the point where you can no longer see eye lashes. You CAN however see the tears coming out.

At about that point noise resumes with a high pitch (for me) long ah haaaaaaa haaaaaaaaaaaa haaaaaaaaaaa. Then more coughing and I go silent again. Now all I see is white light and I am telling myself to start calming down. I have blacked in the past at this point but only for an instant.

So now I've regained sight, sound, and awareness again but I am still coughlaughing. All this lasts anywhere from 30 seconds to a couple of minutes. Once I get control I start to breathe because I know at any time the whole thing can start over again. Of course the second time is always shorter because I am exhausted.

There are three things that make me laugh like this.

Calvin and Hobbes
The Simpsons
Most Extreme Elimination Challenge

I met the voice of Lisa Simpson (Yeardley Smith) a couple of years ago and related the story of my laugh to her and she was so touched. "We love to hear about stuff like that" she told me.

I wish you could see it. You'ld all get a kick out of it although one day it's gonna put me in the hospital.