FUNNY ON DEMAND

Or stage fright has me frightened.

The family and friends were getting together for the big event. The first annual Christopher Ruvolo 30th Birthday celebration was quickly approaching. As I sat in my recliner watching TV, the phone started to ring next to me. Not recognizing the number, I was tempted not to pick it up! I figured it was for #2 Son, upstairs. Usually around that hour, lover boy gets phone calls. Against my better instincts: I pick it up. It is my beautiful niece Annmarie, who I was planning on calling within the hour.

“Hello, Uncle Joe, it’s Annmarie!”
“HI! I was about to call you to congratulate you guys on the news!” (She’s having a baby for the first time.) We discussed a request I had made for a photo of Christopher for his party. I had been chosen by my niece to ‘roast’ Christopher. It was in two days, and I had hardly worked on the thing, a few ramblings that I passed by TLW (The Little Woman). I immediately got to work in my mind, and by the next day had something on paper. It was not going to be easy! Chris is a good guy who I love like my own sons. I really didn’t want to hurt him.

As I worked on the roast the day of the party, (I like to work under pressure) I read back what I had, and thought I should do this with me standing in the front doorway, the motor of my car running so I could make a clean getaway.

That night, in spite of a snowstorm brewing, and the roads were treacherous: I arrive with TLW. The evening wears on, and the happier the people at the party got, the more I thought it would be wiser to do the roast from my car with the window rolled only half way down. A lot of the people there were strangers to me, I didn’t know if they had a criminal record or not. (They may have been armed)

TLW kept nudging me about giving the roast and I kept putting her off. Finally, like being called to the principle’s office, or doing something where Mom says; “I want to have a word with you.” I was summoned to give my roast! Nervously, I got up. Everyone was sitting around, I had Chris on the victim’s chair mumbling: “Oh God! Oh No, Oh God!” I utter my first words and get a laugh! I was funny! No veggie missiles coming my way! I would live long enough to escape!

As I got more laughs, the more encouraged I became. That was all I needed.

Chris, looking around at the crowd, intoned: “Why have you forsaken me?”

Please pray for those that need our prayers, like DD.