On a recent flight to San Antonio with my husband, I was scrolling through the in-flight entertainment when I stumbled upon David Sedaris’s MasterClass on storytelling.
We are surrounded by a thousand untold stories of which we walk right past. Thanks for telling them, Elizabeth, yet another amazing episode in the Harwell Adventure Series.
I had five dates with a guy in the last couple months, and recently we decided to part ways. Whenever I have the thought that I wasted my time, I remember two stories he told me--crazy, unique stories that I won't easily forget. So I guess I was asking the right questions.
They were a little long, but one of them was about his one day spent working at a movie theater. The supervisor didn't have time to train him that night, so he showed T. how to use the frozen pretzel maker and told him, "You have one job tonight--just make pretzels." So T. made a bunch of pretzels, and an hour or two later asked the supervisor what to do next. The supervisor got frustrated and said, "Just keep making pretzels, that's your one job." So T. went back and make more and more, all night, till he had used every pan he could find and covered every surface of the kitchen with pretzels. When there was absolutely no more space he started sweeping out in the lobby. The supervisor saw it and started yelling at him, "You're supposed to be making pretzels!" T. tried to tell him he had no more space to put the pretzels, but the guy wouldn't listen and told him to go on break.
He went on break and decided to never go back. He wished he could have seen the supervisor's face when he went into the kitchen and saw the hundreds of pretzels he had made. Townsfolk told him the theater was selling his pretzels for weeks.
I love that Andrew goes seeking adventures and adventure just seems to find you :-) Also, Andrew rode back to the hotel to get the book for you, I missed that until the second reading, he's a keeper! Somehow I wanted Brad Paisley to be the cowboy who saved you and you could ask him when was the last time he touched a monkey (or the last time he hurt the feelings of a big-haired girl), it would have been a full circle moment. Keep writing, it makes me smile!
Wow—you do know how to walk into situations, don’t you! So well told. I actually did touch a monkey—held one—in Roatan, Honduras, in 2022. I also saw a baby kangaroo last week—one of our homeschool families had it. I never thought I’d see something like that in East Texas!
I think I’m bothered by the world each time I head out of our Walmart parking lot and pass the panhandlers. I never quite know what to do. I had a man and his daughter ask for so money for a bike tire in that parking lot…. Apparently they were living in nearby woods. I never quite know what to believe.
Thank you for sharing your stories, Loren! By “having a baby kangaroo” do you mean that the own it? Like a pet? That is wild. Do they know baby kangaroos grow into adult kangaroos?
It really was wild! Apparently they’ve owned them before—I didn’t know that was even possible. A friend of mine who’s lived in Australia asked that very question about it growing up, and the family said, “We’ll see how it goes!” (My friend mentioned that kangaroo meat is pretty tasty, and suggested that was always a solution 😳)
That was quite enjoyable. I'm still curious to know if you were actually bothered, pre-cowboy, and what the toboggan man actually had in mind. You may not know yourself, but it peaks my interest. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Jason! I was bothered at first by the toboggan man, but in bothered in a good way. He sort of shook me out of my comfort. (I was wearing headphones at the time, and his question made me take them out so that I could truly see and hear him.) Then, I was bothered by the cowboy in a different sort of way. I wanted to say, "Listen, I can talk to this human being on my own." There were several things I didn't include in this piece. One is that I did respond to the man's question-- I told him he was not bothering me, but I was waiting for someone. I'm not sure what my waiting had to do with it, but it is what came out of my mouth! Also, after the incident, the cowboy came up to me and apologized. He said that he was a regular in that coffee shop and knew the toboggan man could get aggitated quickly. He was truly worried about me, and had reason to step in. I thanked him for that.
Enjoyed reading it again. Like with David Sadaris, your delivery made it even funnier. Thanks for sharing and well done!
We are surrounded by a thousand untold stories of which we walk right past. Thanks for telling them, Elizabeth, yet another amazing episode in the Harwell Adventure Series.
What a great reminder to learn how to ask the questions that inspire stories.
I hate monkeys because the last time I touched one, it stole $5 from me. More another time.
Sounds like a story to me— let’s hear it! Monday’s podcast?!
I had five dates with a guy in the last couple months, and recently we decided to part ways. Whenever I have the thought that I wasted my time, I remember two stories he told me--crazy, unique stories that I won't easily forget. So I guess I was asking the right questions.
Great post!
Do we get to hear these stories?? :)
They were a little long, but one of them was about his one day spent working at a movie theater. The supervisor didn't have time to train him that night, so he showed T. how to use the frozen pretzel maker and told him, "You have one job tonight--just make pretzels." So T. made a bunch of pretzels, and an hour or two later asked the supervisor what to do next. The supervisor got frustrated and said, "Just keep making pretzels, that's your one job." So T. went back and make more and more, all night, till he had used every pan he could find and covered every surface of the kitchen with pretzels. When there was absolutely no more space he started sweeping out in the lobby. The supervisor saw it and started yelling at him, "You're supposed to be making pretzels!" T. tried to tell him he had no more space to put the pretzels, but the guy wouldn't listen and told him to go on break.
He went on break and decided to never go back. He wished he could have seen the supervisor's face when he went into the kitchen and saw the hundreds of pretzels he had made. Townsfolk told him the theater was selling his pretzels for weeks.
That is absolutely worth five dates!
Thanks, that does make me feel better! :D
This story has stayed with me, Elizabeth. And not just because you mentioned monkeys. XD So glad you keep writing! Well done, friend.
Thank you, Rachel!
I love that Andrew goes seeking adventures and adventure just seems to find you :-) Also, Andrew rode back to the hotel to get the book for you, I missed that until the second reading, he's a keeper! Somehow I wanted Brad Paisley to be the cowboy who saved you and you could ask him when was the last time he touched a monkey (or the last time he hurt the feelings of a big-haired girl), it would have been a full circle moment. Keep writing, it makes me smile!
Wow—you do know how to walk into situations, don’t you! So well told. I actually did touch a monkey—held one—in Roatan, Honduras, in 2022. I also saw a baby kangaroo last week—one of our homeschool families had it. I never thought I’d see something like that in East Texas!
I think I’m bothered by the world each time I head out of our Walmart parking lot and pass the panhandlers. I never quite know what to do. I had a man and his daughter ask for so money for a bike tire in that parking lot…. Apparently they were living in nearby woods. I never quite know what to believe.
Thank you for sharing your stories, Loren! By “having a baby kangaroo” do you mean that the own it? Like a pet? That is wild. Do they know baby kangaroos grow into adult kangaroos?
It really was wild! Apparently they’ve owned them before—I didn’t know that was even possible. A friend of mine who’s lived in Australia asked that very question about it growing up, and the family said, “We’ll see how it goes!” (My friend mentioned that kangaroo meat is pretty tasty, and suggested that was always a solution 😳)
Wow. It seems that next time I’m in Texas, I might get better results with the question, “When’s the last time you touched a kangaroo?”
You just never know! I’m continually surprised.
That was quite enjoyable. I'm still curious to know if you were actually bothered, pre-cowboy, and what the toboggan man actually had in mind. You may not know yourself, but it peaks my interest. Thanks for sharing!
That was my thinking, too. I wondered what toboggan man would've asked if given the chance, simply because we never got to know.
Thanks, Jason! I was bothered at first by the toboggan man, but in bothered in a good way. He sort of shook me out of my comfort. (I was wearing headphones at the time, and his question made me take them out so that I could truly see and hear him.) Then, I was bothered by the cowboy in a different sort of way. I wanted to say, "Listen, I can talk to this human being on my own." There were several things I didn't include in this piece. One is that I did respond to the man's question-- I told him he was not bothering me, but I was waiting for someone. I'm not sure what my waiting had to do with it, but it is what came out of my mouth! Also, after the incident, the cowboy came up to me and apologized. He said that he was a regular in that coffee shop and knew the toboggan man could get aggitated quickly. He was truly worried about me, and had reason to step in. I thanked him for that.
This baby keeps on kicking.
So glad you posted this! I loved reading it again!!
There were so many unexpected turns in this story! Beautifully written, funny, and thoughtful. Love it!