You Deserve Applause Today
If I have clicked on your story, I have clapped for you
Humorist David Sedaris was not what I expected. He was slight, barely taller than the podium he stood behind. But what he lacked in height, he more than made up for in talent.
It was around 2008, a few years before we became parents. Back then, my husband and I had disposable income for events like this, concerts, plays, one-man shows.
Sedaris read essays from his latest work, When You Are Engulfed in Flames. His inflections and timing were spot-on, making me laugh so hard my abs hurt. His performance wrapped within an hour, much too soon for me, but I can imagine he was feeling pretty parched after speaking for 50 minutes.
At the end, we gave him the standing ovation he deserved. I hoped he’d come back on stage for an encore, share one more story, but he didn’t. That was the only thing that evening that disappointed me.
As we walked out, I envied Sedaris. His essays are hilarious, even the ones that cause my gag reflex to kick in. I wish I were that clever. But even beyond that, he got a taste of something few writers ever do: He heard and saw an audience enjoying his work in real time.
I thought of what it must be like for a writer to hear what is typically reserved for more…