"CHORTLE"

The man on TV got my attention.

He said: "When I heard that, it made me

'CHORTLE. ' " 

Now I had run across, or heard that word

before....a few times. And I liked it. 

It was some sort of laugh I thought, and 

it sounded downright cool---kind of down-

home and a bit avuncular---like an older

favorite uncle would do.

Not a loud, showy boisterous "HO HO"or

"AH HAH HAH," or pulling all stops---a

"HAWH HAWH HAWH," making everyone

turn their heads ...and gawk!

Nossir, I figured it was more the laugh of

an old timer who'd "been there" in life,

had seen and heard fun things before,

and so....was rewarding the teller of 

something decently and respectably 

humorous with a well-appointed and well-

crafted polished laugh...tasteful and all...

Anyway, that was my thinking when I went

to Henry II and googled "chortle." I needed

to get all the info I could, as I was somewhat

taken by this word....and concept.

Here's the result: "laugh in a breathy, gleeful

way." And further---"a hearty, happy,

satisfying laugh."

So in planning "my new laugh" which I was

hoping to add to my "laugh-cabulary,"  I

did the only smart thing left---going to my

Beloved Editor (aka known as "B.E,") and

asking: "Do you know anything about 

"chortling?"

Her eyes brightened as she seemed to go

back into the archives of her mind, and

remember something with great fondness.

And sit down for this...

"Ah yes, well do I remember all those years

at our church... we had a beloved deacon

who sat near the front on the right side of the

sanctuary and he loved every word of the 

services."

"Often," she continued, "a preacher or

someone would say something humorous

and as the congregation's laughter was 

diminishing, Dale would then give his own

stamp of approval with a dignified, but 

resonating "Ho ho oh oh oh ho." As if an

"amen-ing" echo...

B.E. continued: "It was one of the most 

priceless things I remember about Dale

and those past days in our church."

There you have it my friends, my best 

attempt to acquaint you, with a "chortle."

I'll admit, if you see me on the street, 

don't worry none if I'm laughing slightly

under my breath...I'll just be practicing

Dale's  CHORTLE...as I too remember him

and his laugh---with great fondness.

"ho ho ho ho ho ho..."

 "chortle...chortle..."

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MIL

5/22/18