Reading Time: 5 Minutes
The words that come out of your mouth upon a chance meeting can have a lasting effect on both the sender and the receiver. It is imperative that one put out the image that is an honest depiction of what is intended to be conveyed rather than what you think someone might want to hear. The following is a completely true story.
Have you ever heard the tale of the corny idiot & thuggish wise man? No?? Well, just sit back and allow me to share the story with you.
Mac had been to the YMCA to play basketball every weekday for the last 8 years or so. The YMCA had a mixture of folks from all walks of life, blue collar to the power elite. There was always the usual crowd but there would also be out-of-towners that would come in and play. On this particular day the place was full of regulars for the first few games and then in walked a dude that no one had ever met before. He walked in with a chip on his shoulder and seemed to be kind of thuggish in appearance to the group. He had on all black and the new A.I.'s with gold chains and rings. He also stood about 6'1" tall and appeared to weigh at least 230 so he stood out to all of the guys in the gym, even though he was on the sidelines and it would be a game or two before he was able play.
Mac, the corny idiot had been on the court since he arrived. This dude was one of the better players at the Y and winning was the norm but today he was particularly dominant and the thuggish guy must have taken notice. Another win for Mac and now the two meet up on the court. "Hey man what's happening?" The new comer said to the idiot. "Ain't shit man", said the corny idiot, this was surprising as this was not something that he would normally say. Now it was time for each team to decide who will check whom in the game. "I got Shaq!", said the newcomer in a sarcastic tone. "This dude is about to get the business for that crack!", thought the comfortable local to himself. "Hey man what's your name?", said the new guy. "Mac, and yours?" said Mac. "Lawrence" the new guy continued as the game began.
The first couple of plays went off as if it was another day at the office for Mac, a spin move and a lay up, a tip in and then a quick post up and it was 3-0 Mac. The next play Lawrence took Mac straight to the basket and laid it in. A quick elbow to the ribs and another lay in and now it's 3-2. As the game went on both Mac & Lawrence developed a level of respect for each other's game so when it was over they both sat down and started to talk.
"Where are you from young man, I'm from St Louis?", said Lawrence. Mac looked at him and said, "DC man!" "So what is there to do here in DC for the weekend?" asked Lawrence. As Mac looked Lawrence up and down to assess the type of things that he thought Lawrence was sure to appreciate, he blurted out what can only be described in hindsight as a theatre of the ridiculous. "Dude there's a club on U st where there are freaks galore, trust me get there and you will walk back to the room with company if that's what you want". "There are always the strip clubs on Ga. Ave if you tryin' to see some pussy popping, they off the chain there!" "If you want a strong drink or two then Stan's is the place to hit up, chicks in there too!" Mac was too busy fronting and running off at the lips to notice that Lawrence's mouth was gaping open in disgust or that he had a wedding band on so he continued on his rant. "This city is ripe for the plucking on a Friday night if you are single man, trust me you can run up in 5 or 6 before you leave if that's what you want to do." Mac finished up. What's funny is that Mac the corny idiot was nothing like what he was suggesting. While he was fun loving he rarely went out at all let alone to any of the places that he was suggesting to a stranger. One would think that Mac of all people would be an ambassador of culture and all things other than what he was preaching to this guy that he had just met. He was a guy that would go out of town with a list of museums to hit up rather than information on where the trendy clubs were. He was also a guy that was more comfortable having conversations that ended with, "it was a pleasure meeting you, here's my email so we can keep in touch!" much more than "why don't we move this up to my room?" Suddenly Lawrence interrupted the rambling idiot from further embarrassment by asking a simple question. "What do you do for a living Mac?" While the question was so simple and commonplace the timing made it extremely probing and liberating. "I'm a chef", shared Mac. This was the perfect redirection as the conversation steered to different types of food and Mac was able to share his passion for food and as a result for life. He went on to talk about all of the culture that DC had to offer and shared some of his favorite haunts. "There's the nice spot down the street for a quick burger", Mac shared. "The cherry blossoms are out", "museums all around the city and bike trails." Mac began to beam with a sudden comfort as he shared the things that he actually loved to do. "Now this seems more like what I hoped you'd recommend man" Lawrence said with a clever smile. "What is it that you do?" Mac asked bluntly. Lawrence answered, "Me, I'm a reverend and the MC for the National Christian Revival this week!"
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| Impressions |
Have you ever heard the tale of the corny idiot & thuggish wise man? No?? Well, just sit back and allow me to share the story with you.
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| Ballin' @ The Y |
Mac, the corny idiot had been on the court since he arrived. This dude was one of the better players at the Y and winning was the norm but today he was particularly dominant and the thuggish guy must have taken notice. Another win for Mac and now the two meet up on the court. "Hey man what's happening?" The new comer said to the idiot. "Ain't shit man", said the corny idiot, this was surprising as this was not something that he would normally say. Now it was time for each team to decide who will check whom in the game. "I got Shaq!", said the newcomer in a sarcastic tone. "This dude is about to get the business for that crack!", thought the comfortable local to himself. "Hey man what's your name?", said the new guy. "Mac, and yours?" said Mac. "Lawrence" the new guy continued as the game began.
The first couple of plays went off as if it was another day at the office for Mac, a spin move and a lay up, a tip in and then a quick post up and it was 3-0 Mac. The next play Lawrence took Mac straight to the basket and laid it in. A quick elbow to the ribs and another lay in and now it's 3-2. As the game went on both Mac & Lawrence developed a level of respect for each other's game so when it was over they both sat down and started to talk.
"Where are you from young man, I'm from St Louis?", said Lawrence. Mac looked at him and said, "DC man!" "So what is there to do here in DC for the weekend?" asked Lawrence. As Mac looked Lawrence up and down to assess the type of things that he thought Lawrence was sure to appreciate, he blurted out what can only be described in hindsight as a theatre of the ridiculous. "Dude there's a club on U st where there are freaks galore, trust me get there and you will walk back to the room with company if that's what you want". "There are always the strip clubs on Ga. Ave if you tryin' to see some pussy popping, they off the chain there!" "If you want a strong drink or two then Stan's is the place to hit up, chicks in there too!" Mac was too busy fronting and running off at the lips to notice that Lawrence's mouth was gaping open in disgust or that he had a wedding band on so he continued on his rant. "This city is ripe for the plucking on a Friday night if you are single man, trust me you can run up in 5 or 6 before you leave if that's what you want to do." Mac finished up. What's funny is that Mac the corny idiot was nothing like what he was suggesting. While he was fun loving he rarely went out at all let alone to any of the places that he was suggesting to a stranger. One would think that Mac of all people would be an ambassador of culture and all things other than what he was preaching to this guy that he had just met. He was a guy that would go out of town with a list of museums to hit up rather than information on where the trendy clubs were. He was also a guy that was more comfortable having conversations that ended with, "it was a pleasure meeting you, here's my email so we can keep in touch!" much more than "why don't we move this up to my room?" Suddenly Lawrence interrupted the rambling idiot from further embarrassment by asking a simple question. "What do you do for a living Mac?" While the question was so simple and commonplace the timing made it extremely probing and liberating. "I'm a chef", shared Mac. This was the perfect redirection as the conversation steered to different types of food and Mac was able to share his passion for food and as a result for life. He went on to talk about all of the culture that DC had to offer and shared some of his favorite haunts. "There's the nice spot down the street for a quick burger", Mac shared. "The cherry blossoms are out", "museums all around the city and bike trails." Mac began to beam with a sudden comfort as he shared the things that he actually loved to do. "Now this seems more like what I hoped you'd recommend man" Lawrence said with a clever smile. "What is it that you do?" Mac asked bluntly. Lawrence answered, "Me, I'm a reverend and the MC for the National Christian Revival this week!"
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