She immediately recognized his tone of voice. He was looking for some free advice, a sounding board, the proverbial 'somebody to talk to'. She was pretty used to it by now, having provided this service pro bono for almost two decades now. Most often he would ramble for twenty minutes, outline his consternation and then methodically work through them verbally ending with a pragmatic solution. She was lucky if she got in one complete sentence during these 'dialogues'.
"Just got in another argument with Dad. I was suggesting to him a "better' way for him to position his brand to an audience that has, to this point, been unresponsive. He got defensive, using the tactic that always seems to be his debate weapon of choice; the fully-automatic sarcasm gun. (The Russian FASG-30 to be exact).
After the exchange, I went back to work answering several of the wonderful e-mails we have been receiving about the recent releases. In each, I took the liberty to say that although I very much appreciate the kind words, we have plenty of room for continued improvements to the product. This got me to thinkin'.
My thought was that maybe it's me. As in:
When Dad and I argue and I see him getting defensive, closing up and lashing back with bitterness and bile, maybe it's me. Am I causing this?
When I get compliments about my work, and I cite the glass as half empty, maybe it's me. How fine is the line that separates tenacity and stubbornness?
When I am confronted by a clerk in the grocery store who is less-than-thrilled to be there, maybe it's me.
When my brother has trouble using the right word or phrase in conversation, maybe it's me.
When I get a curt customer service rep on the phone causing a harmony rift, maybe it's me.
When the boss wonders if I am trading secrets with the competition because I was brazenly complimented on a video, maybe it's me.
When the kids in class aren't responding as quickly, as robustly or as enthusiastically as I, maybe it's me.
When it seems that the entire population of our little Island community is in a collective funk, maybe it's just me.
It appears that the more Obama tries to change the status quo, the more it stays the same. This perception is solely mine?
When every now seems like a then, when many a here feels more like a there and when an honest yes comes out as a spun-off no, maybe it's me.
When love is constricted and conditional, maybe it's me.
When even American Beauty sounds cliched and out of date, I KNOW DAMN WELL IT'S ME.
But everything else is my fault. So I am taking this unique opportunity to apologize for my frailties, failings and neurosis'. There. I will try harder starting this farking instant. So please bear with me. This is a process."
"Hello"?
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In 2007 RacerMate Inc of Seattle, Wa. hired me to produce their new software line of products to be called, TA DA, Real Course Videos. So almost overnight I became (cue the theme music) RCVman. This is the story of my work on the road, filming triathlons and searching for true love. Some things never change.
4 comments:
Your line of inquiry reminded me of something I learned many years ago, about how one's ownership of the context of one's experience has a significant impact on the content of one's experience. Creating context creates the opportunity for content. People can create the space for something to be, and then that is the something that comes into that space. When you noted "this is a process" that was an exceptional profundity. Good on ya, grasshopper.
This all sounds a little Venus to me. I suggest a small party and a blender.
David Carradine left the temple to ask of Master Po if (as he suspected) the humble grasshopper had Buddha nature. Master Po replied that space without content is like life without love.
Thank you.
Good idea ej, I'm on it.
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