Life Without Laughter

Thirteen - Gregors - It's Not Rehab, It's Comedy Class

He woke up as he had went to sleep; still tired, hungover, and shaking. This was the catchphrase for down'n'out Gregors Fogelis, who since moving away from his family in Lithuania, has been scraping the bottom of the barrel to keep going, to keep his head hung away amongst a cloud of doubt. He had heard such extravagant tales of Blackpool from several brochures, but after a whole year of living in it, Gregors' certain they never actually set foot in the UK at all. It was shrouded in smoke, either from people abusing their health or simply the amount of combustion all going on at once, he couldn't even properly see the Irish Sea out his flat window, which was intended to give a splendid sight.

All Gregors could see was himself in the 50's.

He had considered hailing a taxi to go to the bank, but the booming vibrations of grime music from the driver's radio quickly made Gregors avert his eyes to a recently-halted bus. He hopped on it and awkwardly skidded past the driver, who was too busy being trapped in the dimensions of his phone to notice him pass. Gregors sat down, feebly attempting to gain comfort from the coffin they thought was a seat. He took his mind off the seat by pulling out his notepad out his small backpack and jotted down ideas for his plans.

Gregors had been wanting to expand his career of writing screenplays into a career of comedy. He decided to book a short session at a local comedy club, just to get a taste, and then hopefully begin his project within week or two.

As Gregors continued to write, a woman sat beside him, carrying cleaning products in her bag and was mumbling to herself in annoyance. Gregors ignored it, sticking earphones in.

Time Skip

Gregors seriously underestimated this.

He thought that not too many people would be at the club, since most were at work and some had barely just had their break food, but yet the place was packed. After hearing applause for a woman singing about drugs, he took her place on the stage, and the first thing he noticed was an icy stare from a short-haired man at the bar, sipping on a tequila shot. Gregors nearly gagged onstage, resulting in the first humiliation of the performance, and definitely not the last.

Gregors began to sense the cracks of pressure, and stumbled, both literally and on his words, resulting in more slurred giggles. Why did he anticipate anything beside that? He'd been going to this club on every 26th day of every month, hoping whatever fresh new faces showed themselves would share an ounce of respect. But yet, another volley of booing and posse of hecklers sat at his feet. The only one who remained wordless during the debacle was the man at the back, seemingly more interested in the bickering between the barman and his intoxicated mother.

Any sort of attempt at a joke was quickly subsided when members of the audience took the reins, and Gregors' felt his insides bubble in an inexplicable fury. Soon, the audience were making a game out of it and doing some form of improv by the time Gregors was forced to leave by the owner of the club.

He noticed an empty spare room in the back, and the cogs in his brain started to turn.

Time Skip

In Lithuania, Gregors never visited a bank, for his sisters would handle the social chores as he dealt with frequent technological issues. It was his first time even ascending the steps to the bank. His eyes caught a slim notice of a man who looked oddly familiar, from the bar, but he couldn't correlate to who it was.

He entered the bank and was given a frosty reception. No worker batted an eye towards him and it was ridiculously cold.

Shaking off the harsh climate, he approached a tall blonde-haired accountant, who had just put aside some folders and turned her undivided attention. Gregors started, with a pause, "I'd like to withdraw my total balance, please." He said quickly, rubbing his hands together. The woman stared at him to check if he was being serious, and seemed intrigued as he nodded. "Can I get your name, sir?" She asked.

"Gregors Fogelis." He replied with his natural born Lithuanian accent. She wrote that down and showed it to a co-worker, who seemed visibly irritated and shot a glare at both Gregors and the worker. The other woman returned with a bag of all Gregors' savings. "Thanks., Ellen." The worker grumbled and handed Gregors his money after a gruelling twenty question interrogation.

Time Skip

It had taken a week to prepare. Seven days. 168 hours. Each morsel of time used to ensure his project would work, and finding the right people took up his whole weekend. There'd been a lot of taxi's he would pounce after, many people who had insider information on the club yet refused to share it in any degree.

Now, the schedule had been fine. The comedy club course was about to kick off, but the only two people who guaranteed their arrival are the least of his concerns. What Gregors wants to do is help Marcus learn a sincere smile. In the three times he'd encountered the man, a frown was always stuck to him.

First was Robert, a student who had been failing to meet his loan deadlines, which made Gregors instantly recognise that the poor boy only considered this for money, and yet had a fee to pay to get in.

Next was Indigo, a fellow student who goes to Robert'a college and is close friends with him, although she gave Gregors a quick death stare after he took her pound coin. She seemed to be there just to support Robert, and when she wasn't able to do that, she'd just switch off from the outside world and switch on her phone.

The third to come in was Kim Gemini, a renowned psychic who many, probably drug-loving, people of Blackpool claimed she had successfully predicted their futures within a year. She also is with the belief that everything in life, even the mundane, is planned, serving a greater purpose, and hopes to spread her beliefs with the world. Gregors had never met a person so blissfully open and confident in their opinions.

So, naturally, he hoped to teach Kim improv comedy.

Last on his rather short list of attendees was Marcus.

He had no idea what a mistake that would be.