I’m pretty sure I remember every time I had the chance to do the right thing and didn’t. Sometimes I wake up from a bad dream where I regret doing something selfish 20 years ago and have to track someone down and apologize.
I don’t do that second part as often as I should, but I do it sometimes, and that makes it easier to do again. The times I’ve done the right thing are harder to remember. I guess that’s because I’m not wracked with guilt over them.
If I were working on a story for February’s show, I might talk about the time Chuck’s parents let me stay at their house for months without paying rent after my mom died. I had a little money from a life insurance policy, and I could have paid rent, but I didn’t. I spent that money on the usual dumb stuff an 18-year-old would spend it on.
When I was 50, I suddenly remembered that and called Chuck for his parents’ address. I wanted to send them rent money 30 years too late. Turns out they were dead by then, so I sent the money to Chuck. Part of that story would include the months I spent between the dream and the call, trying to talk myself out of sending that money.
Or I might tell the story of the time I asked my adult son what I did wrong as a parent. I was getting a lot of credit from people for being a single dad, and I felt bad knowing that growing up with me was no treat. It took me a while work up the courage to work up the courage to ask him what I could have done better. Then it took him a few weeks to get back to me. He was trying to spare my feelings.
But then he finally called and told me the one thing I did that really hurt him during those years. As I listened, I could feel myself slowly bending down over the counter with guilt. I remembered those words I’d said over and over whenever he struggled with homework. I’d tell you what they are, but I don’t even want to type them. That time it was easy to do the right thing and apologize. But I wish I hadn’t needed to.
These are the type of stories we’re looking for at our next show. Come tell a story about a time when you had to choose between doing the right thing and the wrong thing. What did you do and how did it play out? Did you do the right thing but secretly wish you hadn’t? Or did you do the wrong thing and regret it? We don’t talk about current events or politics at FGS, so these stories will have to be about the smaller moments in life where we were faced with a choice of right and wrong.
Practice the story out loud to as many people as possible and time yourself when you’re doing it. Please don’t get onstage if you haven’t practiced your story. The audience is giving you their time and attention. It’s not fair to them if you get up there and try to wing it.
All stories have to be under 8 minutes. Stories can be as short as you want, but not over 8 minutes. Stories also have to be clean in both language and content. Send me an email if you have any questions about that.
FGS themes are just suggestions, so you can come out and tell a story about anything as long as it follows our usual rules and guidelines.
Our free monthly online workshop is a great place to get feedback on your story.
I’m also happy to help anyone with a story they’re working on. Email me, and we can set up a phone call.
See you Thursday, February 19, at 7 pm on the top floor of the Seattle Swedish Club 1920 Dexter Ave, N Seattle, WA 98109
Paul
Freshgroundstories at gmail dot com
Fresh Ground Stories 