Micro-story: Ah Keung's Diaphragm (by Tonkabean)
Micro-story: Ah Keung's Diaphragm (by Tonkabean)
Ah Keung was known for being a pessimist who spoke too directly. Before his wife Ah Jane left on a business trip, she handed him a Laughter Yoga manual and said: "When something bad happens, try laughing. The manual says the body can't tell the difference between real laughter and fake laughter. Laugh, and the thoughts will follow."
Three days later, Ah Jane called from India: "Honey, how are the sunflowers on the roof?"
Ah Keung said: "All the sunflowers are dead!"
Ah Jane was angry and sad. The sunflowers died suddenly, and her husband was so blunt. She should have left them on the balcony. The roof, the roof, the roof was always a dangerous place. After a while, Ah Jane got angry again and said to her husband: "Has no one ever taught you how to speak? Can't you be a little more tactful?"
Ah Keung asked: "The truth is the sunflowers are dead. What else can I say?"
Ah Jane took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, then said: "You could tell me step by step. First, you could tell me the sunflowers were moved to the roof to get some sun. When I get to Delhi, you could tell me they were turning yellow from too much sun. When I get to Mumbai, you could tell me they had withered. That way, I'd at least have some warning."
"You've learned Laughter Yoga. Even half a second of Ho Ho would give you time to think before speaking. Don't kill the flowers with your first sentence," Ah Jane continued.
Later that evening, Ah Keung called Ah Jane and said: "The sunflowers were moved to the roof to get some sun today."
"Are you in Delhi now?... The sunflowers got too much sun... they're starting to turn yellow."
Then Ah Jane couldn't make out what Ah Keung was saying. All she heard was a series of Ho Ho Ha Ha coming from his throat through the phone.
Ah Keung quickly said: "Sorry... sorry... My abdomen suddenly contracted and my body laughed first. My diaphragm moved on its own."
Ah Jane said: "I understand... I understand. Teacher's notes, Chapter 15 — when the diaphragm vibrates intensely, the sympathetic nervous system switches to the parasympathetic nervous system. It means even if you don't want to laugh, your body will choose to. And you chose laughter first! Yes, yes, I understand."
Ah Keung said: "I wanted to explain about the sunflowers, but the laugh came out before I could speak. The more I tried to control it, the more my body wouldn't listen. The sunflowers... Ho Ho... are dead... Ha Ha!"
Suddenly, Ah Jane stopped being angry about the sunflowers. Ah Keung's laughter seemed to have given birth to new sunflowers.
Ah Jane held the phone and waited.
She suddenly asked: "What about my mother? She said she was coming to water the sunflowers yesterday."
Ah Keung opened his mouth and said: "Your mother said the weather was nice, so she went up to the roof."
End
日期 Date：24 August 2026
圖 Illustration: 人工智豆 (Ai-Bean)
文 Written by: 東加豆 (Tonkabean)
我除了寫微故事，還製作有聲書，希望我們能互相認識。
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Besides writing micro-stories, I also create audiobooks. I hope we can get to know each other.
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關於我 /About me ：tonkabean.me/
故事選集 / Story Collection