My friend Ed Flanagan would have made a comedian “on Parr” with Milton Berle and other well-known jokesters. The Vietnam veteran and his wife, Carol, recently retired from social work and teaching.

Sometimes I think Ed missed his calling because he is an excellent entertainer with a whole bag of quotes from famous comics. His repertoire is endless and his delivery professional. I became acquainted with his extraordinary sense of humor during exercise class at the Harlan Senior Citizen Center where he and his wife, Carol, are regular attendees. Here are some examples of his vast collection of anecdotes: “If you have a moment to spare, tell me all you know,” “I would like to help you out. Which way did you come in?” and “Here is a dime. Call all of your friends.”

You see what I mean. Ed has dozens and dozens of these amusing quips that he shares with his friends and his delivery is as good as a professional comedian. Here are some more examples of his good humor and wit: “It rains on the just and the unjust. The unjust have umbrellas;” “You should be on the stage. The next one leaves at 3:15;” “That went over like a lead balloon;” and “The man, while falling off a 10-story building, on passing the fifth floor said ‘So far, so good’.”

Ed amuses his wife, a recently retired Harlan school teacher, which is a blessing; otherwise, Carol would laugh herself to death at a much too early age. Interestingly enough, she is one of Ed’s biggest fans and they even dress alike during exercise class on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the Center. Cute? Yes, very.

Here is one of Carol’s favorite quips of her husband’s. “Behind every successful man, there is a helpful wife and a surprised mother-in-law.” As for myself, I remember the following quote which was credited to Mark Twain during his heyday. “Man is the only animal that knows how to blush – or needs to.” As you can see, Ed is in excellent company when it comes to having a sense of humor.

Having been a teacher for a number of years, myself, I particularly liked and identified with this quote which is also one of Ed’s favorites. “The back-row student, when asked by his teacher the meaning of ignorance and apathy, replied, ‘I don’t know and I don’t care.’”

Ed amuses his fellow exercise class members with these hilarious quotations. We are indebted to him for making the class laugh at his dry humor as we stretch and strain and grunt. The Harlan Senior Citizen Center on Cumberland Avenue serves seniors as a haven of warmth and good fellowship. It offers a nutritional lunch, bingo with prizes donated from the community, geriatric bowling, card and board games, seasonal outings and “Body Recall” exercise class.

They do a variety of crafts usually taught by Pat Duncan from the Harlan County Extension Service. Often times, before exercise class, Betty Ann Ingram plays the keyboard while others join in singing familiar tunes, hymns and patriotic songs.

All of these folks at the Center are helpful and appreciated which reminds me of another of Ed’s comical quotes. “The Sunday School teacher told her class, ‘We were put on this earth to help others.’ The little girl in the front row asked, “What were the ‘others’ put here for?” In my opinion, this quotation suits Ed to a tee.