'One evening, something took place that, unknown to me at the time, was to give an unusual purpose to my life. The headmaster announced that there was to be a school debate. What a debate was had to be explained to most of us. The motion before us was something to do with public transport. The debate began. Masters spoke. Boys droned on about this and that.
Probably mishearing some debating point, or idiotically misunderstanding it, I got up and I said something or other, and everybody laughed, and laughed really quite loudly. I blushed. thinking I had been stupid but I was very far from being displeased.
Golly what an agreeable sound, I thought, and I had, however unwittingly, caused it. I had suddenly become consciously aware of laughter and since that day always tried to go where the laughter was, to seek laughter out, to impede laughter as little as possible, to have as friends people who can make me laugh (they have been extremely kind), to read books that intentionally or otherwise promote laughter, to see plays intended to provide laughter.
I am aware that as a major aim in life this has been frivolous and petty, and, maybe, rather contemptible and that I should have been worrying about the world, the human condition, and poverty and famine and misery. But I am afraid I haven't been and, I must confess, it's been great fun.'.
- Arthur Marshall quoted from his essay 'A Crooked Bat' featured in the 1974 book of essays and book reviews by the author, titled 'Girls Will Be Girls'. It is a fast of innocent but great humour.
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