Church giggles...otherwise known as surges of inappropriate laughter. I get these ALL the time, unfortunately. You know what I'm talking about...you're 8 years old sitting in the pews during church service when you look at your sister and she points out the old man in the row ahead of you who's falling asleep. You don't know why, but at this moment, in this situation, it is HILARIOUS. You do everything in your might to hold your laugh...think bad thoughts, think bad thoughts...falling off your bike, getting a shot, dead kitties...doh! Nothing is working and you suddenly just have to let it out...AHAHA! Gasp! Was that too loud? Ssshhh!! Yup. Church giggles.
The worst are big family meals during the holidays. My mother is quite the churchgoer and prayers are always said before eating. It starts out with her asking the question: "Who is going to lead the prayer?" This is the point where my sisters and I scatter to avoid all eye contact...we look all around the table, the food, at each other, anywhere but at her. Eric, my sister's husband, hasn't quite caught on to this and is usually the sucker to look straight at his mother in-law like a frightened 10-year-old hoping the teacher won't call on him. Lucky for him, my mother doesn't always pick on him. (I say *always because there are instances where he'll find himself leading us all in thanking the Lord for the food which has been bestowed upon us.) She'll call on Myleen or Robee (she doesn't usually call on me...she knows better) and they'll whine and complain until she gives up and decides to just say the prayer herself. This is where the church giggles come in. I swear...that sister of mine...ROBEE...she is sooo bad. What is she....12?? Every. single. time. Of course she'll start the church giggles, and anybody who knows what I'm talking about knows that they are contagious. CONTAGIOUS. As contagious as a yawn. So then you've got Robee in one corner dry-heave laughing, then it spreads to her husband Eric who is so embarassed because he still feels as though he has to be on his best behavior since he's new to the family. Then that gets Myleen and I going (of course I'm shaking my head as I dry-heave knowing how wrong it is), until finally it spreads to my nephew Zach, which at 12 years old hasn't mastered the dry-heave laugh and therefore just giggles aloud. Church giggles. So wrong. Anybody suckered into joining us for these holiday meals is left thinking...What is WRONG with you people?! Welcome to the Gamo clan and if you really feel at home with us, you'll get the church giggles too.
Posted by Mollie Gamo at March 16, 2005 01:56 PM | TrackBack