"Out!"

Today, a co-worker of mine posted an article suggesting that being funny at work might not always be a good idea. It instantly reminded me of Terry—because he always got himself in trouble for being funny.

Terry was hyperactive and endlessly creative. His mind seemed wired to always have something to say or do, and above all, he loved making his mom laugh. At school, he quickly became the class clown. His friends adored him and his jokes, though sometimes their laughter got a little out of control. The teachers, however, didn’t find it quite so amusing.

One teacher in particular seemed to dislike it whenever the class laughed at Terry’s antics. Terry was punished often—sent to stand outside the classroom for time-outs. Sometimes, even if another student stirred things up, the teacher would still glare at Terry and silently point to the door.

By the end of the school year, Terry had spent more time standing in the hallway than sitting at his desk. Cars driving by would see him out there, waving at passersby. On days when he wasn’t outside, people even wondered what had happened to him.

That was my Terry.