Hot off the press and ready for human consumption, “Serving Up Some Funny House Specials” will surely fill your soul with laughter. The third book in my joke book series is “House Specials” because of all the extraordinary people who helped me gather my enormous collection of jokes.
I do believe I’m a funny girl. I’m comfortable with the character I have become. Thanks to all my buddies I have encountered over my lifetime in the hospitality industry, I actually get to share really funny jokes, too.
My collection is undoubtedly hysterical, and it continues to grow like a weed in my mind regularly. However, knowing that all the fantastic tales shared with me over the last 30 years have finally all been accounted for makes me very happy. I know this for sure because it is the last of my handwritten paper trail of jokes. The last pile of ingredients I have been storing now for decades just waiting to be used in my latest concoction.
Over all the years, the one trick I did manage to learn was how to save all my delicious delights on Docs files instead of in notebooks. This way, they are up-to-date, organized, in the proper format, and ready to be used whenever I see fit. Talk about a giant step for me toward modernization.
Nonetheless, “House Specials” represent days gone by, and all my one-of-a-kind comrades passed on. I intend to portray all my memorable “classic” friends by rewinding to a happier time where I can spread my laughter and get the giggles echoing. Want to help me?
Look for me at the Red Barn Flea Market in Bradenton or the Coquina Beach Market on Anna Maria Island. Keep a lookout if you’re not close enough to visit me on the Gulfside. I will definitely be heading home to Billy’s Cafe in Lake County as soon as I have my new babies in hand. I’ll be sure to give a shout-out as to where and when.
Then, you can look for me at my diner-style booth sporting my new rainbow collection of retro skirts made by Rose. I couldn’t resist putting my dear friend back to work, this time making me poodle skirts to match all my Chuck Taylors instead of colorful aprons. With my grandson, Jeremy, at my side dressed like a little Greaser, I can’t lose.
Back in the day, my daughter, Makenzie Rae, and her BFF Sammi would walk around the festivals I was vending at carrying cute signs that said, “FREE HUGS & KISSES” at my booth number. You would be amazed how much extra traffic they would bring to my booth. Mostly sassy older men, but that’s the exact audience I’m striving for. A good thing about older men is that their vision generally isn’t too good, so they would miss the small print on my signs that said, “Sponsored by Hershey.”
Either way, once I got them to my booth, I could easily talk my way into a sale. Maybe they felt obligated to buy my books after following my teenage helpers to my booth looking for affection, but it was all family fun. This round, as cute as my little man is going to be – dressed in his Levi’s with the sleeves rolled up on his white T-shirt and spotlighting his own Converse high tops, I’m sure we are bound to go viral!
Laugh on. Peace out!
Lisa DeMarco is a columnist for Villages-News.com
