The Un-Funny One

Each of my girls had a dentist appointment today. While my youngest, Lily, was clinging to my lap with enthusiasm, my oldest, Lucy, was called by her dental hygienist to begin her cleaning. Two minutes later Lucy’s hygienist returned and laughingly whispered something to Lily’s hygienist, who also proceeded to chuckle. It wasn’t until later that Lucy’s hygienist let me in on the secret and the joke. While making herself comfortable, Lucy boldly declared to her hygienist that Dr. Diner should beware because she was sure Lily would bite his fingers simply because Lily, “is a feisty one.” Needless to say I chuckled. Lily, however, did not bite the dentist’s fingers.

Lucy is my dramatic, intelligent, social and extremely funny child. Her ability to make people laugh is uncanny. It is not always what Lucy says, however, that evokes a chuckle, but rather, the expressive deliverance of honest information. Her personality is magnetic. Adults and children alike can’t help but like her. On a day last year when Lucy was absent from school her teacher tried telling a joke only to have the children in Lucy’s class inform her that the joke was much funnier when Lucy delivered it.

Lucy’s magnetic personality and humor don’t fall far from the tree. I was first attracted to my husband, Jody, for the same reasons. Like Lucy he is extremely charming and one of the most hilarious individuals I know. People are naturally drawn to him. Jody’s best friend and I often agree that it is impossible to remain angry with Jody, simply because at the height of your anger Jody will make you laugh.

Then there is Lily. Who like her sister and father is hilarious but for different reasons. Like a little parrot she repeats whatever she hears. While riding in the car with my parents last week she repeatedly quacked like a duck, to the point of annoyance, until she exclaimed, “I am a pain in the butt!” She has the face of an angel and a smile that melts hearts, two attributes she is fully aware of. Her cuteness alone incites laughter.

And then there is me, the un-funny one. Though I have moments of brilliant comedy, I cannot maintain the same level of funny that my husband and children do. Instead of regularly inciting laughter, I am the one laughing. I laugh to the point of crying. I laugh until my belly hurts, or I have to pee my pants, sometimes both at the same time.  But I fail to incite such a reaction in others. It is somewhat discouraging to be considered the serious, neurotic influence in the family. To receive smiles but not a lot of laughs. However, I try and tell myself that four funny individuals in one house would be too much. That the competition would be too fierce. That laughing is just as important as inciting laughter. I consider my un-funny self and thank God that in a house with three comedians I at least have a sense of humor.