My Sound

You ever hear a sound so beautiful you can’t forget it?
We were at rehearsal, I was a stagehand. A job I dreaded at first easily became the best job I’d ever had.
Someone said a joke, I can’t remember what the joke was but what I do remember is his laugh.
It was an authentic one.

That laugh that comes from the gut and works its way up to the lungs releasing through the mouth.
It was real, he was genuinely laughing.
I too was laughing at the same joke but his laugh turned mine completely silent.

He showed all of his teeth and tilted his head back, it was a beautiful sight. It was a laugh that you wouldn’t mind hearing again.
That’s all I wanted, was to hear him laugh.

Throughout my time as a stagehand I would hear the familiar sound, each time bringing a smile to my lips.
If I was having a particularly rough morning that laugh would snap me out of it.
I loved even more when I was the reason behind such a beautiful sound.
My friends called me funny but for him I cranked it up to hilarious.

As production came to an end, I’d accumulated enough hours and there was nothing to be a stagehand on seeing as they had performed their final show.We all went out to celebrate, some of us, the last time we’ll ever really be seeing each other.
I looked for a particular face and was disappointed when I came up empty.
I was in my own world, scrolling down my newsfeed as I always do. Detached from the world around me when I heard it.
That laugh, coming right towards my table.

The night was over faster than it began, I didn’t want it to end. We all said our goodbyes, one goodbye I didn’t want to say. After a couple of weeks of flirting and friendly hugs our time together had come to an end.
I say one last thing unintentionally being funny, as we depart and there it goes again
That laugh.

I don’t know if I’ll ever hear it again or if I’ll ever see him again but I know that no matter what happens, there’s one thing I will never forget..
That laugh.