C is for ~~Church Giggles

                                                 


Source

  Remember when Mary Tyler Moore's Character got the "Church Giggles" at  Chuckles  the Clown's Funeral?





Church giggles can really happen anywhere, but they almost always happen at times when you are in a serious situation; usually in a place where the atmosphere is quiet.  Something funny happens and you are in giggles hell!  Picture this...I am a teen (about 150 years ago it seems).  I am in church with my Dad right beside me. We were in the very last row. The family in front of us consisted of two very close-in-age boys with buzz cuts~ and these boys  were sitting on either side of their Mom who was holding their baby sister. Way at the end of the pew sat their Dad.

OK, set-up done.

These two boys who seemed to be about seven and eight years of age were up to no good. They fidgeted something fierce and they just seemed very uncomfortable in their Sunday best. Every time the congregation had to stand these two guys took the opportunity to whack and push each other behind their Mother's back.

    First, the Mom glared.                                                                

              Then she quietly told them to knock it off

                                     She shushed
                        
                They continued their shenanigans (I love that word)


The Mom had had enough. She handed the baby over to her Husband and when the boys acted up again...she lifted her hands, curled both index fingers,  flicked both her boys on their heads and gave them noogies.. It sounded like she was thumping melons. The boys simultaneously rubbed their heads;  and the Priest's sermon became back ground noise as my Dad bowed his head trying to suppress the cackling laughter he wanted to free. I was the same. The Mom turned around and (as soon as she saw my Dad in suppressed hysterics) began to laugh as well.
 
We spent the rest of the service red-faced and completely avoiding each other's eyes...for fear of starting the marathon church giggles again. Now I have had several instances of Church giggles since then...a  Reverend with a very heavy accent pronouncing "sheep" so that it sounded like the word "Sh*#".  A baby Farting loudly during silent prayers. A substitute choir singer who was tone deaf, and my own constant stomach growl that sounded like a dying animal.  All these have caused me to kneel and bury my face in my hands. But like I always say...life, live it and you know what? life is funny...and sometimes you just gotta laugh....even in Church.