It's Time I Knew.

Robb did something to make me laugh - hard. (I don't remember what it was, because that's really not what this post is about.)

I said, "You make me laugh."

And he said - with a very straight face, "I know. I'm the only funny one around here. You never make me laugh. Ever."

"What?! Yes, I do."

"No, you don't. You are not funny."

"I am. People think I'm funny."

"Nope. Nobody thinks you're funny. They don't. Name one person who thinks you're funny."

"My brother. He thinks I'm funny."

"NO. No, he doesn't. At all. Because you're not. Go ahead - call him right now. Ask him if you're funny. He'll say no."

So I did. I called him. Left a message, offering him the opportunity to settle this marital dispute and restore his sister's sense of humor.

He called back moments later.

I put him on speakerphone, and he said:

"All right. Here it is: Not funny. You are not funny."

Well.

My brother continued. "It's time you knew. Not funny. Here's what I say, Trish. Lean into your strengths, and hand off your weaknesses. And being not funny is a weakness of yours. In fact, I use the term 'weaknesses' because that's how unfunny you are: I have to use the plural form. You are unfunny on many levels."

My husband was cracking up. Cracking up, I tell you.

(In all fairness, so was I.)

My brother said, "So, there you go. We don't think you're funny, and in fact there's a whole society of people who think you're not funny. We have meetings."

"You have meetings?!"

"Yes."

"Who is the President of this Tricia Isn't Funny Club?"

"Well, it varies. Whoever has the most recent unfunny story gets to take the lead. Most recently, it was Mom."

Nice. So, the jury's in. I'm not funny.

(I'm still not buying it.)