Un-Coachable People Stink
On a beautiful summer evening, at my in-laws house, my wife and I were visiting a friend a few houses down the street. Rachel, having grown up in the neighborhood knew the neighbors well, so we walked through some back yards to get to the friend's house. (she had done this countless times growing up)
On our journey back, after night had fallen, we got to one point in the neighbor's yard where Rachel went the long way around the neighbor's garden. I, on the other hand, decided that I was going to take a shortcut through the garden. As I was walking briskly through the dark mulched garden, one step at a time, I took one step and the ground wasn't there. Even weirder, everything around me felt wet and I couldn't seem to get a foot hold on anything.
In a semi-panic I started to flail with my arms and legs, reaching for anything solid to grab ahold of. At about this same time I remembered that this particular neighbor had a small fish pond. I then, came to the realization that I had fallen into said fish pond. Having realized the situation I was in, I continued to flail until I could drag myself out of the pond.
Upon my ascension from the pond, likely having killed a fish or two, I was met by my lovely wife, not concerned for my well-being, but laughing her head off. The rest of the evening was characterized by my wife and my in-laws laughing hysterically about my traumatic experience. I was mortified. And I felt like an idiot.
But, this all could have been avoided if I had been coachable.
If I had been coachable, I would have considered the fact that Rachel had walked through this back yard dozens of times compared to my zero times. Taking that into consideration, I likely would have followed the same path that she did.
But I didn't do that.
I had to do it my way.
It didn't matter that she had been there before and knew what to do. I thought I knew better.
And now, due to my inability to follow someone who knew better, I have to endure a lifetime of being the brunt of family jokes whenever there is a fish pond around. This is fun for everyone else, but not so much for me...
On our journey back, after night had fallen, we got to one point in the neighbor's yard where Rachel went the long way around the neighbor's garden. I, on the other hand, decided that I was going to take a shortcut through the garden. As I was walking briskly through the dark mulched garden, one step at a time, I took one step and the ground wasn't there. Even weirder, everything around me felt wet and I couldn't seem to get a foot hold on anything.
In a semi-panic I started to flail with my arms and legs, reaching for anything solid to grab ahold of. At about this same time I remembered that this particular neighbor had a small fish pond. I then, came to the realization that I had fallen into said fish pond. Having realized the situation I was in, I continued to flail until I could drag myself out of the pond.
Upon my ascension from the pond, likely having killed a fish or two, I was met by my lovely wife, not concerned for my well-being, but laughing her head off. The rest of the evening was characterized by my wife and my in-laws laughing hysterically about my traumatic experience. I was mortified. And I felt like an idiot.
But, this all could have been avoided if I had been coachable.
If I had been coachable, I would have considered the fact that Rachel had walked through this back yard dozens of times compared to my zero times. Taking that into consideration, I likely would have followed the same path that she did.
But I didn't do that.
I had to do it my way.
It didn't matter that she had been there before and knew what to do. I thought I knew better.
And now, due to my inability to follow someone who knew better, I have to endure a lifetime of being the brunt of family jokes whenever there is a fish pond around. This is fun for everyone else, but not so much for me...
Comments
Post a Comment