Some of us laugh during inappropriate situations such as funerals and in church. I laugh during my cancer treatments, not as a defense mechanism, but because the guy who gives me radiation is quite an interesting lad.
He's puffy with premature gray hair and has a sarcastic disposition. He resembles the Martin Short character Jiminy Glick a little. He might be gay and he alluded to the fact that he has conservative political views. But that's not really why I'm laughing. I'm laughing because of a handicap that he has and I know I should feel guilty, but I just don't because I feel as though I deserve to have a few chuckles every morning.
I'm not sure if it's a tic or Tourette's, but this guy makes a very strange noise about every 30 seconds or so. Think Goat Boy from Saturday Night Live. At first I thought it was just an awkward way of laughing but now I'm beginning to think that he has no control over it.
I can usually stifle my laughter long enough until he leaves the room, but today was different. I'm not sure if it's the change in my medication or what, but I was particularly giddy this morning even whilst going through my cancer treatment.
As soon as I lay myself down on the table and this odd specimen of a man placed the plastic mask over, he made the noise and I lost it. I didn't know what to do; I just burst out into laughter. He asked if I was okay, but I was laughing too hard to answer. He muttered something sarcastic and made the noise again! At this point he took the mask off, lowered the table and I excused myself to the restroom where I got it out of my system and regain my composure so I could proceed with the treatment and not keep 40 people waiting in the depressing waiting area.
It's nice to have such an interesting start to each day even if the treatment is destroying what is left of my life. I'm looking forward to tomorrow morning. See you then, Donald.
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2 comments:
Hi Peedj. I know someone with a similar thing - she makes this weird trailing off sigh/bleat/giggle after every sentence. At first I thought it was a weird affected laugh, but it's not - thank god I didn't make the noise back at her (I almost did). She was dating a good friend of mine and I had to avoid them until they broke up. Apparently it's a kind of stutter? Ames.
You deserve a chuckle at someone else's expense huh? I truly want to wish you the best and hope that you make it through your illness, however; every time I read your blog I am more and more convinced that you are an utterly self centered person, with the biggest sense of entitlement I have ever encountered. And that is saying alot; I live in Park Slope. I wish you the best, but I also wish you some perspective and humility.
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