My dad taught me that making mistakes comes with the opportunity for an education; hence the phrase, “learn from your mistakes.” However, I prefer to learn from someone else’s mistakes. Some of the most fun you can have in this short life is watching someone get himself in a pickle, and then try to get out of it. In fact, that’s often the funniest part.
A few years ago, I was having an addition to my house built. The construction manager, Owen, and I stood on the deck discussing the plans. I was having trouble listening, though; one of his workers was trying to get a company pickup truck turned around in a small space right at the edge of a cliff. The other workers gave him instructions, holding their fingers a couple of inches apart to show how close he was to the loose, crumbling drop-off. It was rather distracting, and I couldn’t focus on Owen. Hang on a second, I said. I need to see this.
Owen turned around to see what was going on, and turned a strange shade of green. He owned that truck, and paid the drivers work comp. Plus, they might have been friends, I don’t know. Me, I just watched in gruesome fascination as the idiot driver executed the worlds first 96-point turn. Somewhere in the back of my mind I wondered why he hadn’t just backed out, but whatever. Owen wiped his forehead with his sleeve and gave me a sidelong scowl. You act like you want him to fall off the cliff.
No, I dont, I said firmly. But if he does, I do want to see it. I gave him a manly slap on the shoulder. Come on, man! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Its like reality TV, but you’re in it.
You can laugh; thats not your guy, he said.
Damn right hes not.