Unmasked

Scooter loves to read. She is a literary omnivore, devouring most genres and always on the lookout for something new. Scooter enjoys sharing the contents of what she’s reading at all times. Whenever something amuses her she shares it.

She also loves stories about animals (doesn’t every 11 year old girl?) and has recently been working her way through Chicken Soup for the Petlover’s Soul. (Though not pet lovers of chickens apparently. I’ve chosen at this time not to point out to her the irony of the book title which certainly implies boiling poultry).

At lunch yesterday, she shared with me some cheesy story from the book about a boy and a lion and God, as I listened absently. When she finished the story I chuckled amusingly condescendingly and said something like “That’s a cute story.”

Then she dropped the hammer: “You have two laughs, Daddy.”

I was immediately surprised and it caused me to laugh. “See, that’s your real laugh.” she said. What’s the difference I asked? “I dunno, but I can tell when you’re not really laughing and when you really are.”

She then asked “Why do you laugh at the story if you don’t think it’s funny?” On this rare occasion I decided be truthful. “Ummmm…honestly, I guess I laugh because you think it’s funny and I don’t want to hurt your feelings.”

She considered this for a moment and then said “I guess so, but I know what your fake laugh sounds like. So now when you fake laugh, it will hurt my feelings.”

So apparently my condescending artifice has been uncovered. I will have to be a lot more self-conscious from now on. But on the plus side, she will be able to tell when I fake laugh at other people…