Lunch with Lucille Ball

When I was sixteen, I had a dream that I had lunch with Lucille Ball. It was the summer I fell in love with her, through a television screen.

We sat at a classic, round diner table. She ordered a peanut butter jelly sandwich with milk. She had much to say to me.

"Ryan, my dear sweet boy. You'll be my all time number one fan. Don't listen to anyone else, you're my number one. You'll learn so much from watching me. You'll learn the meaning of friendship. You'll learn about love. You'll learn to laugh more than anything else. You'll laugh along with my audiences at a time in your life when laughing will save your life. You're a sad and tragic boy, and life will be unkind to you. Like me, you will love and lose. But don't let that keep you from loving. Love like you'll never love again, even if you lose. But more than anything, my dear sweet Ryan, laugh everyday. Make everyone you love laugh, every god damn chance you get. For to laugh, my dear boy, is one of life's greatest joys and treasures."

She finished her peanut butter and jelly sandwich with milk, then kissed me dearly on the forehead. She left as she had come, comedically and gracefully.

I woke up laughing...