[1]: http://www.laughingstockbroker.com/

I haven’t posted for a while, so I thought I’d tell a story. I filed it under “I Crack Me Up”, so it technically needs only amuse me. And perhaps that will be the case.

Recently, Helen and I attended a small trade group convention. Helen was hired to sing a few sets of “american classics”; Sinatra-type stuff. The technology behind the event was poorly executed, and I ended up scurrying around helping to get things working. While doing that, I’d gotten to know the night’s comedian, [David Goldman, “The Laughing Stock Broker”][1], a little bit. Nice guy. Actually funny off-stage as well as on, unlike other comedians I’ve known in the past who were often quite sullen.

Later in the evening as I was wandering around, a pleasant, slightly chubby guy grabbed my hand, flipped it palm up, and started telling me all about me. He was the party’s hired psychic palm reader. I’d heard him wandering around doing that thing folks love: saying wonderful, generic things about their character and future, and asking gently prodding questions until he “reveals” something. “You are concerned about someone you know who is sick…”

So he started telling me swell things, trying benign little guesses and watching my face to see if I responded so he’d know to keep on that path. So I (probably cruelly) poker-faced him. He got friendly, blank nothing from me. He kept going. He looked a little worried. He floundered a bit. And finally he said “You have a very strong personality. People are intimidated by you.” No, I think it’s just psychics.

The night wore to a close and my friend the Intuit had grabbed onto Mr. Goldman just a few feet from me. David was very polite. He nodded and smiled and listened as he heard wonderful things about himself. And the psychic just wouldn’t let the poor guy’s hand go. After a while, I thought I’d go over and give him an out if he wanted it.

I strolled over and waited a minute while the reading drew to a close. David’s hand was free. I thought a little grounding counter-perspective would be fun. I grabbed David’s hand and shook it and with a big smile said “I just wanted to tell you: *I* think you’re a jerk.”

For just a second he looked quite taken aback, but he quickly looked like he “got it”.

Yes, I crack me up.

One of my favorite lines from David’s routine/presentation/monolouge: Forgive me Father, for I paid retail. :)