Awkward Laughers Anonymous

I am an awkward laugher. Let's face it. I laugh uncontrollably whenever someone starts crying, choking on their food, hurts themselves, or any other awkward situation for that matter. Honestly, I don't really think it is that funny when someone hurts themselves  -- there is just this little part of me that says "the awkwarder this situation gets, the harder you should laugh."I just can't help it. This is a huge problem; people will look at me and think I am the meanest person in the world when I laugh at the lady at the next table choking on her food. But I mean no harm.

One day in the 4th grade, I came home from school dumbfounded after a teacher had sent me out of the room for laughing uncontrollably at a girl who had just thrown up. (I honestly don't think there is anything funny about people throwing up, its just that the room got so unbearably awkward). Anyways, I got home from school, and I told my mom about what had happened. She gave me this long explanation about how Japanese people always laugh in awkward situations -- and how there was nothing wrong with having a "light-hearted outlook" on life. 

Honestly, I have no clue why I laugh when I do, but I do have one trick on how to sneakily cover up an awkward laugh: you turn in into a "sneeze". Believe it or not, I have used this countless times. If you hold your nose, you cant really breathe as well, so when you feel the laugh coming on, give you best fake sneeze, hold your nose, and turn your face away from other people. You will not believe how real this looks, I have been offered a tissue many times. If you are really lucky, you may even get the chance to leave the room to sneeze in privacy or wash your hands. 

I hope this article helps some of the other awkward laughers out there!