Characters
They're everywhere!
A few years ago, an old man with a long, white beard approached me.
He said, “I bought a pair of shoes from a drug dealer. I don’t know what he laced them with, but I’ve been trippin’ all day!”
Then he walked away.
That’s a character right there.
We’ve all encountered the joke-telling old man who approaches strangers, drops the funny, and makes a hasty exit.
I love those guys.
I’m always on the lookout for characters.
I love the talkative, oversharing toddler,
The classic church lady with the single arched eyebrow,
The constantly bickering married couple (see the bickering Bickersons above),
The insecure, but hilarious, teenage boy who hasn’t a clue how funny he is,
The flamboyant older woman—gaudy, colorful, and, best of all, owning it,
The self-absorbed soul always positioned near and peering in a mirror while conversing with others,
The loud laugher (guilty), unable to rein in their delight to a socially appropriate level,
Friendly grocery checkers, bantering about their kids, the weather, sometimes dropping inappropriate personal information, leaving the hearer unsure how to respond,
The teenage girl, unaware of her beauty, disguising it under a heavy mask of makeup,
A quiet, big-tipping gentleman blessing tired waitresses,
The old couple holding hands as they walk through the park,
The tired mom in the grocery store, carrying on a loud conversation with her toddler in the hopes that someone, anyone, will notice she’s a good mother. (We notice. You are.)
The former high-school all-star who isn’t any more, but lives, or rather, re-lives that glory,
The all-knowing neighbor, keeping tabs on everyone within a two-block radius, and reporting that knowledge to anyone who will listen,
The fashion-impaired woman (guilty again) who consistently misbuttons her shirt or mismatches patterns, but not in a hip, new way,
The chatty dental hygienist, asking questions you can’t possibly answer with your mouth wide open,
... and so many more.
Which brings me back to the joke-telling old man...
I’ve met several of them in my life.
I can’t remember all the jokes,
But I’m glad I remember the essence of the old men who told them.
After all, it wasn’t only the joke that was funny; it was the person who told it!
Have you met a character lately?