Hahaha

Humor is something that is familiar and common between everyone in this world. Humor exists in every language and way of life. When you think about it humor is a language in itself, it doesn't need words. The famous Charlie Chaplin or the more modern Mr. Bean didnt need words nor complex assistance or effects to make the world laugh. 

Most take humor to be happiness, which it undoubtedly is. 

But sometimes humor can be much much more than that; it's the search and want for happiness, at worst a cry for help. 

It's a way of finding happiness when one doesn't necessarily have any. 

And this humor is the type this goes unnoticed. 

For example, Sherman Alexie narrates many stories of his childhood or stories that represent his childhood with an occasional sarcastic and mocking tone. 

His continuous use of colloquial phrases and the constant back and forth of claim and mocking rebuttal he does takes the edge off what would otherwise be a serious and rather unpleasant anecdote. 

Throughout his piece he interjects informal mocking words like "shit" to propagate a sense of normality. Statements like "music turned my father into a reservation philosopher" and "I was born a goofy reservation mixed drink" are examples of his use of humor with a sarcastic undertone that could be meant to demean the importance of his story. 

I don't think he does this to deny or dismiss the seriousness of the issues and difficulties he faced growing up. Alexie uses humor as a coping mechanism to digest the reality of events; a way of not dwelling on something he is ashamed of. 

Although we'd all like to experience the positive sides of life there are always two sides to a coin.