The shop had been open for a few weeks. Each time that I passed by, I noticed the rows of bottles containing various coloured liquids which were arranged on shelves. There was no poster, no written indication of the type of merchandise on sale. Over the door was inscribed the name of the proprietor – A. Güleryüz.
So one afternoon, as I had some free time, I decided to learn more about this shop, which intrigued me. As I opened the door I heard a laugh , a giggle in fact.
It was very dark inside the shop as I looked around to see who had laughed. I could see nobody. I was alone. Then suddenly a man appeared from behind some shelves.
I was so surprised that for a moment I didn’t know what to say. When eventually I found my tongue, I asked « Who was it that laughed when I came in ? »
» Oh, that was not a person » he replied »This is a laugh laboratory and shop. I capture a wide selection of laughs and put them in bottles with appropriate coloured liquids. Maybe you would like me to show you a selection. »
I nodded and he reached for a bottle.
« Now this one is a sarcastic laugh. With a reddish brown liquid. »
He uncorked the bottle and the laugh rang out. And indeed it had an unmistakeably sarcastic twang as though saying « Do you really expect me to believe that? ».

He reached for another bottle. « Here is the laughter of a group of teenage girls. It gurgled around the shop, with occasional shrieks of delight. The liquid was bright pink.
« Listen to this now », he said « This is a group of men in a pub who have just heard a dirty joke. I chose a dark green liquid for them » We were transported to the pub with the throaty laughter of the group of men, one could almost smell the beer !

Next he showed me a bottle containing a black and yellow liquid.
« This is a rare piece. A collectors gem. Just listen »
I listened and heard an evil cackling. I jumped with surprise. « Whatever is that? «  I asked.
« That », he replied » is the laughter of the three witches from Macbeth ».
« Very scary, » I commented « Haven’t you got something more pleasant ? «
« Yes of course, » he replied. « This, for example » He uncorked a bottle containing an apricot-coloured liquid, and a melodious laugh was heard. « The laughter of a young mother at her child’s latest antics. »

« And this one,» he went on, taking down a bottle full of a creamy liquid « the laugh of a baby discovering a game of hide and seek with his blanket »

This last laugh was so delightful that I had to buy it. So now at any moment I can listen to that baby and enjoy the peals of laughter.
I paid and prepared to leave the shop. As he handed me my parcel, the shopkeeper said « Please come back another day. Every laugh contains a message. You have only heard a very small selection of my laughs »
« I shall be sure to do that ,» I replied and as I opened the door a hearty laugh accompanied my exit.