Sometimes people think I don’t have a sense of humor, but this is false. It’s just that my sense of humor is highly specific, and it involves witty banter and wordplay. The people who make me laugh are quick on their feet, silly, and they know how to engage in witty repartee.
So I get very excited when I find a book that is wholesome, sweet, entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny. And that’s what ‘Call Me Maybe’ is. Of particular interest to me, the main character reminds me of myself. For those who have never met me, I’m basically Penelope Garcia from ‘Criminal Minds.’ I always set her photo as me when it’s doppelganger day.
Penelope is an ENFP and so am I.
What does that look like in practice?
I wear jewel colors and fun jewelry. I’ve worn ballgown skirts from Chicwish to school just because. I own Kentucky Derby organza hats. I have so many quote t-shirts (and Disney t-shirts) that some students have become invested in what they say. (There’s a lot of Beauty and the Beast, but otherwise my Disney shirts are mostly villains, and my quote shirts are often from literary masterpieces.) I love it when kids get the inside joke- like the tenth grader who knew the “Obstinate headstrong girl” reference (Pride & Prejudice) and the “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will” (Jane Eyre). I also buy Thank You, Hashem, Mentality and To Write Love on Her Arms merch. On Purim, my costumes range in theme- everything from full on goth girl, complete with (fake) piercings, to Mrs. Rogers from Amelia Bedelia.
(Here’s a bit more about ENFPs.)
Let’s get to the book.
The setup is delightful. Vera is working to craft her own business, a Date-in-A-Box website. Except it’s not only dates-in-a-box; it’s all kinds of care packages in a box. Sick-Day-in-a-Box, for example, is also included. (For the record, I adore personalized care packages. Etsy exists for me, and I buy things off White Confetti Box for everyone.)
The only problem? Vera has decided to build her business site using a new company, Kurio, instead of SquareSpace. And now her site is malfunctioning, she’s been on hold for three hours while attempting to run errands and finally a real live person picks up the phone- Kal! What follows is a conversation in which Vera wins over her customer service person- without even trying. (Things progress from there- this is a rom-com, after all!) Vera manages to kill her car’s battery but luckily she wins over her tow-truck driver, too, and this made me happy because someone was writing my life. I am that person! I talk to customer service people and ask them about their days and families, I talk to my Uber drivers and find out what brought them to America or why they got started driving for Uber, and I find out the most remarkable things. I’ve had so many adventures due to talking to strangers. Reciprocity is a real thing- people tend to return the energy that you exude. I love stories and I love connection and at the heart of it, ‘Call Me Maybe’ is about both of those things. (That, and a very devoted customer service agent.)
It’s also about zany, whimsical and lighthearted situations, with underpinnings of real sorrow and grief about family relationships that are not always peachy. The book felt real. The characters are extremely relatable. The dialogue is outstanding. The audio performances by Lucy Christian and Neil Hellegers are incredible. And there is just so much joy in this book.
I crave joy. I live for joyous moments- that feeling when someone receives the perfect care package that you’ve selected just for them, that excitement when someone is surprised by something unexpected and surprisingly pleasurable, that look of pride on a child’s face when they’ve succeeded in doing something difficult. It’s such a high. At this point, I think everyone in the world could use more joy in their lives. So I definitely recommend listening to this audiobook. I listen as I do dishes, fold laundry, and make lunches. I laugh out loud. I smile. I wonder, just like Kal and Vera, what attributes the movie-star version of myself would have. I love creative conventions and expos (ISTE is my favorite) and I wish I could see Vera’s Date-in-A-Box booth in real life. (I also want to sample some of the Chinese takeout!)
This is a quick, fun and joyful listen. I hope you like it as much as I did!