I had a mate who was very funny; his wit was razor sharp and cutting. I was often at the receiving end of it, mainly because he knew I would take it as funny, n

I had a mate who was very funny; his wit was razor sharp and cutting. I was often at the receiving end of it, mainly because he knew I would take it as funny, nonetheless it was an external projection of his unhappiness inside. Happy ending: he met a girl, and very quickly the brutal edge of his humour disappeared. A shame, because I enjoyed it, but seeing his happiness, it's well worth it. I often try and make people laugh, partly from a feeling of inadequacy, but partly the habit set long ago in my abusive childhood. Make the particularly unpredictable and dangerous parent laugh and you got a few minutes of safety (including physical safety). It was a strong motivator to be 'witty'.