In 1962 there was an epidemic of laughing that lasted almost a year. This uncontrollable laughter could not be stopped by any means. The laughter broke out in Tanganyika, which is now known as Tanzania, and spanned across several villages. Several thousand people were affected by this uncontrollable laughter.

Schools were closed, businesses were shut down, and some people even lost their lives. Still, the laughter did not cease. Many tragic events took place during this year and still there was laughter.

This laughter transformed, even funerals, into a happy time. Parents laughed as they watched their kids getting injured. Doctors laughed as they delivered the news to people that their loved ones had passed away. People even laughed as they found out they were dying from incurable diseases.

By the end, this laughter became very inconvenient. Onlookers would laugh as violent crimes were being committed. Police response slowed because of laughter. Even after the police showed up, they would laugh as they attempted to arrest these violent criminals.

Restaurants became filled with people choking on food because of their uncontrollable laughter. People who witnessed the choking victims would laugh and point instead of helping them. Families would laugh as their loved ones ran around choking on their food and flailing like headless chickens.

I would have loved to be in Tanzania at the time of this uncontrollable laughter. Whether there was pain and suffering or not seems irrelevant to me. This still seems like a great time. Hopefully one day they will be able to figure out what caused this uncontrollable laughter so that we can make it happen in other parts of the world.
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