Laugh and the world laughs with you, unless you’re single in a pandemic

“Nothing is sacred but the circus” was the quote written on a piece of sheet rock in the basement of Dudley Riggs’ Brave New Workshop. The quote was from the man himself who started his life as the son of circus performers, a profession that made him a world traveler and seasoned performer.

Eventually Riggs ended up in Minneapolis and in 1958 started one of the very first theaters in the country doing satirical sketches and improvisational comedy. I suppose for him, everything was a target for satire, but the circus life was the one thing he revered.

Covering the rest of the basement walls were a multitude of autographs from the performers and students who had performed on that stage over the years. I was a little giddy when I was able to add my name to wall. The two years I spent learning and honing the craft of writing and performing sketch comedy and improv were a couple of amazing years.

Part of the fun was knowing I was doing something I had always wanted to do, learning something I wanted to learn, and creating something just for the joy of creating it. The timing was perfect as it also provided a temporary escape from dealing with the worry of Mom and Dad’s declining health and trying to make the decision to move back home.

Mr. Riggs passed recently at the ripe old age of 88 and I found myself mourning a man I never really got to know. He had come into the store I worked at in the Mall of America and bought a witty reference book about all the things you’re supposed to know about, but might not if your education is incomplete. I immediately bought the same book. Honestly, I had been thinking about buying it at sometime, but knowing that a man who had seen and lived the world as much as he had could find value in it, I decided it needed to be in my library as well.

I think the gift of laughter is sorely underrated in our society. I’m not talking about the great shows or movies or big events that make us laugh, but the little things in every day life. While mourning Riggs’s passing I thought about how little I’ve laughed during this pandemic. I didn’t realize how much it bothered me until I thought about how much I miss the in-person socializing I used to do. I enjoy listening to someone laugh at something I said or how I can see the sparkle in someone else’s eyes when they’ve made me laugh uncontrollably. There’s something about that shared experience that connects us all.

In my years of working at the mall, I always felt the sales were secondary. I was a good sales person but I also felt the mall was my rehearsal hall to try out new material, rework oldies but goodies and generally go for the laugh. It didn’t matter if it was for me or the staff or the customers, as long as there was laughter there was a connection with the rest of the human race.

I have a friend who posts jokes and cartoons that I find extremely funny and it really makes my day having a good chuckle. It helps but it’s still not the same as sharing the moment with someone, reacting to their reaction.