The Laughing Booth
a short fiction
Nobody knows where it came from or where it went after the fair.
“The Laughing Booth” as we later called it, appeared one day, tucked awkwardly between the Gravitron and the midway, like it had been placed there temporarily until they could find a more permanent location.
It wasn’t fancy. It looked like your run-of-the-mill photo booth. The sign read:
The Funniest Joke in the World
$5
I happened to be walking through the midway when I heard laughter rippling through the crowd. They were gathered around a man who was on the ground laughing so hard no sound was coming out. Tears streamed down his face as he pointed toward the booth.
Apparently, this man had just heard the funniest joke in the world.
Eventually, another adventurous soul stepped into the booth. Murmurs spread throughout the crowd who waited on baited breath for the next person to emerge.
After a minute or two, the curtain flew back and the woman stumbled out, wailing at the top of her lungs. I was startled by her reaction until her cries evolved into a cackle. When she finally took in another breath, she snorted, and this made her laugh even harder. Of course, I couldn’t contain myself as laughter spread among the crowd.
A line began to form. Everyone who emerged from the booth laughed so hard, they could barely take a breath. And when they had finally composed themselves, several minutes later, wiping tears from their eyes, people would ask them what the joke was. And every time, they gave the same answer:
“I can’t remember.”
My curiosity got the better of me and I got in line, which had wound all the way back toward the Ferris Wheel. By the time I was next in line, I was already smiling. I couldn’t wait to hear the funniest joke in the world.
The curtain flew back and the man before me fell to his knees and slapped the side of the booth as his guffaw drew contagious laughter from the crowd. I had to step over him to get inside.
I closed the curtain behind me. Inside the booth hung a pair of over-ear headphones. I fed a five dollar bill into the payment slot. Once the transaction was approved, an arrow pointing to the headphones illuminated and pulsed. I placed the headphones over my ears.
A voice said, “Are you ready to hear the funniest joke in the world?”
I nodded before realizing it couldn’t see me.
And then . . .
I emerged from the booth, doubled over in laughter. I thought I was going to pass out. I hadn’t laughed that hard in my entire life. It was the kind of laughter that empties you out completely before filling you back up.
The woman who was next in line approached me with a huge smile on her face. “Are you okay?”
I nodded. “Oh my god that was amazing!”
“Well? What was it? What was the joke?”
I wiped tears from the corners of my eyes and my breath skidded into a more regular cadence. For a second, I thought I had it. Like when you wake up and the dream you just had dissolves into a fog.
“It was . . . something about . . .” I shook my head. It was gone. “I can’t remember.”
“Oh, come on,” the woman said. “You have to remember something!”
I smiled. Whatever I had forgotten, it didn’t feel like I had lost it.
“Here,” I said. I opened my wallet, handed her a five dollar bill, and stepped aside.
Thanks to everyone who purchased a copy of Sleepers and sent me a picture. I’ve been posting them to Instagram to show the various places she’s found a new home. Keep ‘em coming!
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