New York Yr 1 Day 24 "9/11"

A couple walked up to me tonight, he had his arm around her, she was pressing against him. They looked older than they were. They walked up to me with hope and sadness in there eyes telling a story of loss I couldn’t begin to speculate on. They seemed frail and weary and the last thing I expected them to ask about was my comedy show.

“You have a comedy show tonight?” They asked. “I do would you like to hear about it?” I said with all the pep and confidence you would expect from a salesman and the tenderness of understanding and foresight you wouldn’t.

The woman shrugged, they looked at me again and said , with meek but sincere smiles they struggled to maintain through out our conversation, “We just really want to laugh” and I could tell written on their faces the word need where want was spoken.

I began my show description no longer in the tone of a salesman but with the soft voice of hope, making certain to take any hint of patronization or pity out of my voice and leaving only tenderness and reassurance, listing off the names of the comedians as if to say “for a night, yes, yes I can help you forget.” I toyed with the idea of giving them the tickets out of my pocket but that just seemed like pity to me and these two deserved better. I cut them the best deal I could and it was still the saddest sale I had ever made.

The remainder of the night was spent with militant determination. It was a Sunday and the kick off of football season and if we didn’t sell enough tickets (which was entirely possible under these conditions) we wouldn’t have a show...and I needed that couple to have a show.

It turned out to be a better sales night than was expected and moments before show time I saw that couple across the street laughing with some friends, truly enjoying the night in a way only two people determined to focus on the joys of the world could. They drank in the laughter, it moved their entire being, they were savoring it as if it were their first drops of joy after a long and tedious drought.

...it was a good night...

I love you all

KH-