Laughter is the best medicine

There is a guy where I volunteer who I see every week. I’m not really sure why he comes, because he doesn’t help and spends at least two hours talking to his friends. Generally, I don’t really care. But when he isn’t standing near his friends, he stares at my co-workers and I. Again, not a big deal. But when he thinks no one is looking, he will wordless mouth the words, “You are stupid… You are ugly,” over and over to us. When no one else is around, he’ll get within earshot and say, “You look terrible today… You are such a stupid person.” You get the idea.

Fortunately, my friends and I discovered how to deal with him: laughter! I hadn’t noticed the mouthing, and they told me about it, and as a group we watched him, waiting for the next instance. When he did, I was so shocked and surprised, that I started giggling, as did my friends. He didn’t do it again that day.

The best, though, was in early June. I was working by myself and it was a very quiet day, so everyone was a little bored. Especially this guy. So he was a little more forward about his commentary. Excerpts:

“You are obviously hurt…”

“Something is wrong inside of you… there is something black in your soul.”

“Something has happened in your life that has caused you to be a bad person.”

And then… the kicker:

“You’re a drug addict.”

Are you kidding me?! I have never touched a cigarette. I was at one party with pot, and I left when I found out it was being used in the garage. To say nothing of experimenting with or regularly using drugs.

But you know what? After about ten minutes of his taunting, the claim that I was a drug addict was just so patently absurd that I burst out laughing. Truly. I was hunched over, hands on my knees, almost touching the ground laughing. I was almost shrieking, and had a hard time breathing.

And the jerk didn’t say a word to me for the next two hours.

This guy is truly ridiculous. You aren’t doing anything at all to help anyone at this location — you’re not even helping your own friends. You are simply there to bully people. Since you are a ridiculous person, I will laugh at you. And it feels great.

-Katie*