Death by Laughter (or Humor Imbalance)
Trish wasn’t your average comedy club attendee. A staunch believer in the ancient Greek theory of humors, she was convinced that laughter was a direct assault on the delicate balance of her bodily fluids. She’d tried to explain this to her friends, but they’d just rolled their eyes and tell her to “get a life”.
One evening, determined to prove her point, Trish dragged her skeptical best friend, Gertrude, to a stand-up comedy show. The lanky comedian, Gary, regaled the audience with tales of disastrous first dates.
Trish teetered on the edge. Each joke felt like a tiny dagger, chipping away at her carefully maintained equilibrium. a desperate attempt to counteract the rising tide of mirth. But Gary’s punchline about a date’s pet iguana pushed her over the edge.
The audience erupted in laughter. Trish turned an odd shade of green, eyes rolling back as she gracefully collapsed from her seat. Silence followed, then nervous chuckles. Gary, ever the pro, paused for a dramatic beat before announcing, “Well, that’s a new one.”
While paramedics whisked Trish away, “I warned you about laughter,” she muttered, as Gertrude shook her head.
The coroner’s report would later cite “acute humor imbalance” as the cause of death. It was a medical mystery that would baffle doctors for years to come. And so, Mildred became a legend, the woman who died laughing. Or, as some would say, a victim of her own deeply held beliefs.
Hey @trishyb.bsky.social, while I still sort out the postcard situation, here's something as a thank you for the support :) #ShortStory
— The Spooky Doctor (@lucidillusions.in) Aug 3, 2024 at 1:24 PM
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