Make Them Laugh! by Psychic Arthur

It seems I have a reputation for being a “funny guy.” Okay, guilty as charged. I really can’t go through a day without wanting to laugh, and it has nothing to do with the meds – just kidding. But seriously, I find humor a wonderful tool.

Most people calling are stressed out, uptight, in crisis mode, and “ready to jump.” Many are so closed up it’s not even funny. What I have learned is that if you try and get someone to laugh or smile, the walls instantly come down. I usually try to point out the humor in bad situations, and uncover the irony of life.

Perhaps the most “off the wall” comment I’ve ever made was to a caller who said she was done with life and wanted to jump. Luckily, she was not talking about physically jumping off a ledge. We spoke, but then after a while she said she’d still given up and that nothing I said or could ever say was going to change how way she felt. “Okay, then,” I told her. “I understand. But first, I need you to do me a huge favor. Before you jump, could you put the phone down – but don’t hang up, I get paid by the minute!” What I said was so absurd that it took her off-guard. She paused for a moment, and then couldn’t stop laughing and then started to cry. We got her off the ledge and the healing process could begin.
 
When it’s all said and done, there is a method to my madness. I find that nothing works faster or is more dependable at putting the body and mind back into balance than a good hearty laugh. Humor and laughter not only strengthens the immune system, it boosts energy as well. And while I may be serious as a heart attack when it comes to my predictions, it’s the delivery of the predictions that sometimes makes all the difference. So, if you call asking about your boyfriend, don’t be surprised if I ask: “What’s the victim’s name?”