The trials of living in a dry county…travel mishaps in Italy…my grandfather's four wives…coping with math nerds…innocent shagging…these are just a few of the true adventures in Downright Funny: Extraordinary Scenes From Everyday Life.Why should you read about my life? So far it has not dramatically changed the world or substantially added to human happiness–no Pulitzer Prizes, no medical cures, no revolutionary ideas. You might even call it run-of-the-mill boring. But I have had some extraordinary experiences, some of which are touching and many of which, it seems, are downright funny. I suspect that your life is much the same: its ordinary appearance belies the fact that it is indeed amazing. My hope in creating this book is that you might find laughter and meaning in these stories that will help you relate to your own experience. And that you might discover, as I have by writing them down, how powerful everyone's stories can be.