Charades by Sukhbir Cheema

I was playing a game of charades with my friends when it came to my turn.

I held the card up close and read the word in my mind.

“Funny”

Now.. how am I supposed to act out funny? As I wondered, I stood up and went in front while scratching my head. I took deep breath in and pretended to laugh.

“Haha!”

Someone shouted, “Laughter!”

I nodded my head and made circular motions with my hand. Yes! Close, what else! My mind yelled. I pretended to laugh again.

“Hahaha!”

“Making fun!” One shouted. I shook my head and laughed again, this time even more seriously. I want to win this game, you see. But my laugh was forced. It didn’t sound like a laugh, rather it sounded like a belch.

“Joke?” one questioned.

Close enough! I made circular motions again.

“Joking!” one yelled.

I shook my head. And pretended to laugh forcefully again. This time I made sure to laugh a little longer.

“Ahahahaha!!” I held my tummy.

“Laughing!”

“Laugh!”

I shook my head. Very close! But why am I laughing? I raised my hands in question.

Someone shouted, “Mad fellow!”

“Mental patient!”

This elicited laughter from everyone, including me. That’s it! This is it! I’m laughing because it’s funny! So I pointed to this moment.

Someone said, “Floor!”

I slapped my forehead. More laughter. I pointed at the closest person who was laughing the hardest.

“Owh! I know!” one exclaimed. “Mocking!”

No! No! I shook my head.

“Making fun!”

“Poking fun!”

“Being mean!”

“Existentialism!”

What the fuck is existentialism bro? My mind remarked as I laughed along with everyone. Then I pointed at each and everyone.

“Us!” they said in unison. One said, “We.”

I shook my head. Owh man, how am I going to do this? The thing with charades is, you got to act out the word without saying a word. So I scratched my chin to think.

Someone yelled, “Itch!”

“Scratching!”

“Thinking!”

Owh you morons! I raised my hands to stop them.

“He’s saying stop. Okay what is it bro?”

The sheer difficulty in getting them to say the obvious was so frustrating, that it became a hilarious affair. I burst out laughing.

“Laughter!”

I raised my arms in question. I raised my eyebrows. I laughed again. Why do we laugh?

“Joke!”

Close! I made circular motions again.

“Giggle!”

“Chuckle!”

“Chortle?”

I laughed harder this. Genuinely. And I pointed at myself.

“You!”

I shook my head and pointed both fingers at myself.

“Me!”

“I.”

Ahh for fuck sake, it’s so obvious, people! I laughed harder at the frustration of them not being able to see the answer. I kept both fingers pointed at myself.

“What is it bro?” someone said, frustrated.

I only had one answer; more laughter. I pointed at myself even more. Then someone finally answered.

“Funny!”

I heaved a huge sigh of relief.