Summary of a gift of laughter by allan sherman?

Answer 1

"A Gift of Laughter", by Allan Sherman is a vignette which was taken from his autobiography. When the story opens, we see Robert, Allan's son trying to get his father's attention by a drawing he made in school especially for his father's birthday, but he paid him no attention as he and his wife were in the midst of a heated discussion. Robbie is hurt and runs upstairs to pack his bag. He is going to run away. His dad finally sees the picture lying on the floor and the author takes us back to his own memory of his gift to his grandmother many years before.

The story is humorous and tells the story of a small boy who wants to get his grandmother a birthday gift. Because his background and heritage is scooped in Jewish culture and often used Yiddish expressions, as a small boy he misunderstands what he 'thinks' his grandmother wants for her birthday and goes out doing everything he can think of to get her a 'football'. Though he was confused as to why his grandmother would want a football for a present, he went through the neighborhood trying to find someone who would help him out. He finds a friend, Gudgie who punched him first, but agreed to give him the football in exchange for his sled. Allan goes home with the football and the party. At first the family is filled with laughter when they see this item waiting for his grandmother's hands to behold. He starts to cry and runs to his room. His mother tells him that his grandmother wanted a 'fruitbowl'!

When he finally came down from his room, he finds that his grandmother has placed his football right in the center of all the apples, figs, bananas in her fruitbowl. She tells the family that Allan has given her the best gift, and says that" from a child is beautiful, anything".

Allan realizes that his own memory of a birthday gift to his grandmother and his own son's gift to him is a time for him to connect to his little boy. As little Robbie is about to walk out of the door, his dad, Allan, asks him if he can come along. He wants to tell him the story of another little boy and a 'football'.