I Have to Laugh (To Keep from Crying)

I’ve talked to some of my friends, jokingly, suggesting I do a ‘Lewy Mike’ stand-up comedy routine.

Here’s my routine, very much still in the early stages:

I walk out onstage to polite applause.

“Hello,”  I say to the rapt, but small audience in a downtown comedy club.

“I am Mike Oliver and I have Lewy Body dementia.”

Scattered chattering, facial contortions of confusion, all  related to questions along the lines of  what the heck is  Lewy Body dementia. I could have gone to see Star Wars over this stuff, a member of the audience might have proclaimed.

So I explain.

“It’s kind of a cross between Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.”

Oh, the audience murmers, they’ve heard of those devastating degenerative brain conditions.

“And so I ask how many of you here  tonight have  Parkinson’s or have a loved one with this disease.

“Let’s get a show of shaking hands.”

I peer out and notice a handful of hands in the air, shaking. All right I say.

“Now those with Alzheimers:”  (long pause)

I  look around. “Well, just forget it.”‘

Um. (sporadic applause, low level booing. Mayday. Mayday. The blood is leaving what’s left of my brain.)

I step up to the microphone. “Uh, can’t you see,” I plead with the audience.

“I’m dying up here.’

Well, guess that is a little dark.

But it’s dark humor, a way to chase away the blues demons. I’ve tried this act to some select friends and we’ve had a good  laugh. I want to let them know this condition, as utterly horrible as it is, and I’ve cried after meeting those in late stages knowing that may be me–it will not  stop the love and laughing that I adore in my life.

Hence my blog www.myvinylcountdown.com

I didn’t plan on demonstrating extremely confessional naked emotions here. But yes, there will be some unmasking, some stripping down.

I hope you all will continue to bare with me.