Though his theorizing came off as somewhat zany to me, he was at least able to explain why there were no jokes at the meetings. "You've been brainwashed to think that you have to have a joke," he informed me. In fact, humor is personal and subjective, "a psychological phenomena defined by beliefs," whereas "laughter is a physical act that is universal with specific physiological effects that can be measured." Laughter in the clubs, he said in a slow, soothing voice, "is induced by the decision to laugh for the enjoyment of laughing." So that is what Clint meant when he told us we were laughing because we were forcing ourselves to laugh. Same message, poorly put.

My hostility had all but dissipated as Wilson told me why he is still working with the tour at the age of 72. "You're not here for a long time, you're here for a good time," he said. "If 51 percent of your days are happy, you're ahead of the game. And I don't think you can be happy in life if you're not laughing." As I thanked him for his time, he wanted to know why I had requested the interview. I started to explain my rainy-day flashback experience, but he interrupted, apparently satisfied that my own interest had provoked me. "I don't know what you call it, cosmic, whatever," he said, informing me that my interest was due to the "spirit of laughter." "All of the people who come to be laughter leaders are drawn to it, sometimes unexpectedly, they're just called to it," he said. Personally, I think the "spirit of laughter" was more present for me when I got the grade back for that English paper I did not finish editing.

* * *

At any rate, I now had mixed impressions of the whole laughter industry. Our laughter meeting was sheisty, but Clint had been really nice; maybe the guy was just tired, or maybe he was uncomfortable amidst a throng of women (as unlikely as that seemed). Still, $75 for half an hour? Then there was the Steve Wilson paradox. Despite his cheesy demeanor, his steadfast self-assurance was convincing; this man really believes that laughter is the key to world peace, and has dedicated his entrepreneurial and emotional life to passing along that message. He clearly was not in if for the money, but then, how could he certify a laugh leader who was? Because this obviously all came down to Sandy Dorrian and her sham of a laughter club. It was not Steve Wilson's fault we were being charged $75, and for that matter, it was not Clint's either. He was just a pawn in this sick game of money. But I would get to the bottom of this--my sorority was, after all, on a budget.

So I called Sandy Dorian, prepared for my attack as I dialed the telecommunication office where she is a training manager. I would play ignorant, get her version of answers I already had, then spring with an accusation.

The woman who greeted me was neither deadpan like Clint nor boisterous like Steve Wilson. She was more than willing to share her story. Like me, she first learned about laughter clubs from a television feature, and like me, she decided to search online for a Chicago chapter. Except in 2001 there was not one, so she took it upon herself to get trained and start a club. Originally consisting of six relatives and neighbors in a local park, a year-and-a-half later the club sometimes attracts over 30 members. She explained that a typical meeting consists of a 20-minute warm-up and at least 40 minutes of laugh exercises, interspersed with historical and physiological facts. She said the club was more than just a hobby to her, "it's something that has truly taken on a life of its own." She described it as an "avocation." She said she was excited to find an organization that aligned with her own positive beliefs about the world. "I've always internally had the philosophy the laughter club espouses," she said.

By now I had an inkling that my financial suspicions were unfounded, but there was no turning back. How much does she charge members? Nothing. (I am taking my shoe off.) Why does she charge outside organizations? To pay the rental costs of club spaces and to hire speakers for meetings. (I am taking my sock off.) How does she determine her rates? Well, she didn't want to say it was arbitrary, but she pretty much just looked around at what other therapeutic organizations were doing and thought about the time and effort that goes into leading a session. (Foot, entering mouth.) It was becoming rapidly apparent that this woman was neither evil nor money-grubbing, and part of me wanted to just drop the whole $75 issue. But I had a budget to consider, and so I fumblingly mentioned that I wanted to talk to her about how much we should pay, because we did not warm up for 20 minutes like she said she did in her meetings, and that our whole session was in fact about 20 minutes.

Immediately her pleasant tone dropped into one of dismay and atonement. She was extremely sorry to hear that. Twenty minutes was certainly not enough time; she had not gotten to speak with Clint in detail and did not realize he had not led a full session. I had not expected such a prompt concession. I faltered, because, after all, Clint was really nice, just kind of disappointing. Which is what I told her, adding that we appreciated his time and effort and that we would pay something, just preferably not $75. She said she would not charge us at all. She sighed apologetically, explaining that the organization is very laidback and that they communicate mainly through email, but that if we ever wanted to have a real session to please call her and she personally would come out and do it for us. And I believe that she did not say that because she was loathe to lose $75. She seemed genuinely upset that our expectations had not been met. I told her we were interested, because we are. After all, the people involved in these clubs are just people who want to make a difference in their communities, global or otherwise, and what better way to do it than through laughter?

My doubts assuaged, I asked if there was anything else about her club she thought I should know. Her voice became exuberant. "Did you know we were on television last summer?" Feeling sheepish, I told her I vaguely remembered.

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