My Dilemma

I've had quite the dilemma the past couple of days. I recently came down with some sort of bug---if anyone can tell me what it might possibly be I would be most abliged. Here's what's wrong: for the past week or so I have been coughing like there is no tomorrow. I don't have the slightest sore throat or congestion, just a nagging and quite vivacious cough. It springs up out of nowhere and then I'm hacking away for about ten minutes.

Anyway, what condition I've come down with is not actually my dilemma.

My dilemma is that I love to laugh. Any random, even slightly comical story and I'm a goner. I just seem to pick out something in every single story that I find unbearably hysterical. Even if it's just the expression on someone's face when they are telling a story...or a story that someone is telling me that reminds me of another story. There has been more than one occasion when a friend has been telling a story that isn't funny at all and looks at me like I'm crazy because I'm laughing like a hyenna. All of this to say that being prone to having deathly coughing fits and having someone tell a story that makes me want to laugh til I cry is not a good combination. I've decided that my body has three different reactions to these kinds of situations, and they are sometimes simultaneous. They are:

1.) I sound like Colleen Dewhurst (who if you don't know what a pretty heavy chain smoker) who played Marilla Cuthbert in Anne of Green Gables. Check out part 1:50 of this clip and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

2.) I start weezing, so I don't actually make any noise. Those of you that know me well know that when I laugh really hard I don't make noise anyway, but what's different about this situation is that I also feel like I can barely breath which kind of takes the fun out of laughing at a good story.

3.) I don't actually end up laughing at all, but just smile like a goon while coughing my head off and watch everyone else enjoy a good gaffaw.

Needless to say, I'm ready for this cough to go away. I long for the "good old days" (and by good old days I of course mean last week) when laughing was second nature. Until then, I've decided to bury myself and avoid contact with a single person who has the potential of making me laugh. Perhaps until this torment passes I'll become a Goth to make it easier on myself.

Ok, maybe not......