Tall Tales from a College Dorm Room

I had a roommate in college that could tell one hell of a story. He had this unique ability where he could tell you the same story three times, change the ending each time and you believed (or at least wanted to believe) that each version was true. It truly was a remarkable talent.

We sat through the bullshit of the story just to see where he was going to take us in the end; knowing we had just heard this same story 3 days ago. You wanted to believe it because he did such a great job of providing the visuals for the storyline.  He spoke in a matter of fact way, his punchlines were tight and the endings were so epic that they just had to be true.

He once told us a story about the time he and his twin brother stole a truck, ran from the cops, erased the serial numbers and repainted it so nobody could ever discover it was stolen. Yet, he didn't have a vehicle at college and when his brother came to visit, he drove a different truck than the one in the picture he showed us. Yes, he actually had a picture of the truck he supposedly stole. Yes, we knew it was a lie, but the story was amazing, so we just went with it.  You had to give him credit for being so dedicated to the lie that he had a picture of the truck in his wallet.

There was this one time when he supposedly hooked up with one of the hottest girls in the city. This girl was a 10!  She never denied it or spoke of it and because we were too afraid to ask her; we had to assume the story was real. How they met, where it happened and what he said to get her to say yes...His details were amazing and graphic!  Who could make this stuff up!?!  He could. There is no way he pulled that girl, but the story is now college legend, so it has to be true.

Sadly, he only lasted a year in college.  He had a hard time waking up in the morning and, for some reason, he was always scheduled for 8am classes. His advisers at school didn't seem to have his best interest in mind. Sleeping past 10am was a regular thing for him and since I was a sophomore, when all my roommates were freshman, and as the room elder it somehow became my job to wake him up in the morning so he wouldn't miss class. At some point his mother pulled me aside during a visit and asked me to please help her son wake up. I did everything I could.

We set four different alarm clocks and after they all were either turned off or left running for a minute or so; I would then bang on the door till he answered. Yes, this kid could sleep through four alarms and a door banging.  Sleep was more important than school and that's why school asked him to leave after only one year. Sadly his over the top story telling ability wasn't enough to keep him enrolled.

But man, he could tell a story.

Being more than a one trick pony is essential. You have to be able to contribute in multiple areas of life. I always joke about being average at pretty much everything and because I have limited skills in multiple areas of my life, it gives others the perception that I am somewhat "worldly".  I got a music scholarship before I learned to read music. I got my wife to think I was interesting and entertaining enough to go out with. The truth is that I am curious about many things and because I #Tryharder to be a focused listener of people that are passionate about their skills and hobbies, I take in a working knowledge of things that I have never personally done.

You should see the history on my cell phone of the random things I have looked up in an effort to gain knowledge. Yes, there are also things I have googled that I am not proud of and those are the things I erase from my history. Trust me, if I get hit by a bus tomorrow, I don't want my wife to see things like "Asian college girls with big boobs" in my search history. Those things get erased. Don't judge.

I never want to be at a loss for words or unable to contribute to a conversation or business meeting.  I never want to be without a learning opportunity or a fable that I can't site as an example of a life lesson for my children.  Every story I digest in my life is a brick in my wall of education and future contributions. Unlike my college friend that spun tall tale after tall tale, I want my knowledge to be based on believed truths and lessons learned. I also want to share that information with others and assist them in becoming more informed and equipped in life. I want to contribute and matter till the day I pass. I want to leave a lasting impression and have others remember the stories I shared. That's why I take the extra steps in putting my stories and life into blogs and later a book. That's why I haven't slept passed 7am in 20+ years.

My college friend didn't have the same desire to learn. He never had a fear of missing out or a curiosity for what the world had to offer once he opened his eyes and turned off the alarms. He was satisfied with telling exaggerated versions of amazing stories that supposedly happened at some point in his past and that is why he never flourished at the collegiate level. His past was more exciting than he perceived his future to be and the way I see it, nobody can move forward in life without the desire to embrace what's ahead and what could be.

Don't just be a teller of tall tales. Be a student of a curious life.