joke. I mean, what part of that request don’t you understand?”
“It’s as if I have a damn gag order in my own house,” Goodwin once complained to one of his friends. Then, thinking about his use of “gag order,” followed up with “no pun intended.”
To underscore her antipathy for his humorous attempts, Sheila began to wear a little lapel pin which said “Thank You For Not Joking” and placed pillows artfully embroidered with the same request at discrete places in their house. At one point she put up signs around the house that said: “This is a no joking zone,” but he made her take them down after they had a furious fight. Sheila soon found HH support groups and began attending HH sessions where people sat in small groups and told of their HH related troubles but, of course, never joked. Whenever Sheila brought home a fellow HH person she befriended Goodwin found that person insufferably dull. When the group met at their house, he could sense that they viewed him as a pariah.
While Sheila said she actually didn’t care about being HH, deep down and hidden from all to see and what Goodwin didn’t know was that it was one of the biggest disappointments of her life. Sheila longed to have a sense of humor and, more than that, of being very funny. Her greatest wish, however, one born from a mix of anger, jealousy, and resentment, was to become substantially funnier than Goodwin and, in a public and humiliating way, show him up in the humor department. When her wish actually came true, it played out on national television to one of the widest audiences in television history.
Because Goodwin was entertaining and very glib, he often held court for friends where banter would be the sport of the moment. Though not intending to achieve it, over time he became the star of the twosome, the one sought out by their friends. Although Goodwin never encouraged favoritism, Sheila blamed him for the obvious disparity of their respective positions in the club. Her resentment, never overtly expressed, festered and erupted occasionally through what Goodwin perceived was an irrational outburst.
Over time, their comedic incompatibility acted as a wedge that not only pushed them further apart from each other, but also acted as a stimulus for mutual antagonism. Sheila would frequently be furious if Goodwin joked too much at the club or at a dinner party and Goodwin would be resentful of her objections. In his favor, Goodwin took special care to never tell jokes at Sheila’s expense and would take to task in a severe manner anyone who attempted to do so. While everyone at the club was aware of Sheila’s condition, they politely ignored it, just as they ignored a member’s alcoholism, bi-polar disorder, or indictment. In all other respects, Sheila was normal and sought out by her friends for advice and companionship.
The final blow for Sheila came on Goodwin’s birthday, the day after the PPR site was launched. She had expected and hoped for a rating equal to or above Goodwin’s rating. But when she looked, Sheila found that she was not included in Pragat’s rating system. In a panic, Sheila attempted to call the company. A recorded message stated that all “advisors” were busy, but if she would hold on someone would be with her in the near future. “In the meantime,” the electronic voicesuggested, “you may find answers to your questions in the frequently asked questions section of our site.”
After holding onto the receiver and having to endure periodic “all advisors are presently with customers, but your call is important to us, so please stay on the line,” she spoke to an advisor who claimed to be “John,” who she was certain was not a John, but a Patel and most likely located in Mumbai or New Delhi. John advised her that anyone who had a zero in any category, hers being humor, did not qualify for inclusion in Pragat’s survey. “This rule,” John said, “is immutable.” The rule was later changed
“It’s as if I have a damn gag order in my own house,” Goodwin once complained to one of his friends. Then, thinking about his use of “gag order,” followed up with “no pun intended.”
To underscore her antipathy for his humorous attempts, Sheila began to wear a little lapel pin which said “Thank You For Not Joking” and placed pillows artfully embroidered with the same request at discrete places in their house. At one point she put up signs around the house that said: “This is a no joking zone,” but he made her take them down after they had a furious fight. Sheila soon found HH support groups and began attending HH sessions where people sat in small groups and told of their HH related troubles but, of course, never joked. Whenever Sheila brought home a fellow HH person she befriended Goodwin found that person insufferably dull. When the group met at their house, he could sense that they viewed him as a pariah.
While Sheila said she actually didn’t care about being HH, deep down and hidden from all to see and what Goodwin didn’t know was that it was one of the biggest disappointments of her life. Sheila longed to have a sense of humor and, more than that, of being very funny. Her greatest wish, however, one born from a mix of anger, jealousy, and resentment, was to become substantially funnier than Goodwin and, in a public and humiliating way, show him up in the humor department. When her wish actually came true, it played out on national television to one of the widest audiences in television history.
Because Goodwin was entertaining and very glib, he often held court for friends where banter would be the sport of the moment. Though not intending to achieve it, over time he became the star of the twosome, the one sought out by their friends. Although Goodwin never encouraged favoritism, Sheila blamed him for the obvious disparity of their respective positions in the club. Her resentment, never overtly expressed, festered and erupted occasionally through what Goodwin perceived was an irrational outburst.
Over time, their comedic incompatibility acted as a wedge that not only pushed them further apart from each other, but also acted as a stimulus for mutual antagonism. Sheila would frequently be furious if Goodwin joked too much at the club or at a dinner party and Goodwin would be resentful of her objections. In his favor, Goodwin took special care to never tell jokes at Sheila’s expense and would take to task in a severe manner anyone who attempted to do so. While everyone at the club was aware of Sheila’s condition, they politely ignored it, just as they ignored a member’s alcoholism, bi-polar disorder, or indictment. In all other respects, Sheila was normal and sought out by her friends for advice and companionship.
The final blow for Sheila came on Goodwin’s birthday, the day after the PPR site was launched. She had expected and hoped for a rating equal to or above Goodwin’s rating. But when she looked, Sheila found that she was not included in Pragat’s rating system. In a panic, Sheila attempted to call the company. A recorded message stated that all “advisors” were busy, but if she would hold on someone would be with her in the near future. “In the meantime,” the electronic voicesuggested, “you may find answers to your questions in the frequently asked questions section of our site.”
After holding onto the receiver and having to endure periodic “all advisors are presently with customers, but your call is important to us, so please stay on the line,” she spoke to an advisor who claimed to be “John,” who she was certain was not a John, but a Patel and most likely located in Mumbai or New Delhi. John advised her that anyone who had a zero in any category, hers being humor, did not qualify for inclusion in Pragat’s survey. “This rule,” John said, “is immutable.” The rule was later changed
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