27 Nov
I’m a storyteller. It’s just who I am.
Sometimes when I’m with a group of people, I try really, really hard not to tell a story.
Seriously – I try.
But most of the time, they just come out.
Sometimes, they’re well received and people pretend to enjoy what I said.
Other times, not so much.
Which is why I was so thrilled when one of Even Steven’s friends taught me the greatest storytelling trick ever.
It’s the perfect ending to every story you will ever tell.
Ready?
So let’s say you’re telling a story, and you start to lose your audience. Or the opposite happens, and you started talking to just one person, but all of a sudden the entire room is quiet and listening to you.
And then let’s say that the story you are telling is actually not a great story at all. It’s not funny. It’s not suspenseful. Nothing really happens, and you’re not even sure why you’re still talking.
That’s when you just whip out the perfect ending:
“And then I punched her in the face.”
Boom. Great story.
For example:
When I was in first grade, I fell asleep on the bus. And when it was my stop, the driver yelled at me, and I fell out of my seat, and I was so sad.
The story could end there and no one would care and some people might wonder why you were even talking in the first place.
BUT – add on the perfect ending, and your story becomes this:
When I was in first grade, I fell asleep on the bus. And when it was my stop, the driver yelled at me, and I fell out of my seat, and I was so sad.
So then I punched her in the face and got off the bus.
Best. Story. Ever.
As you’re mingling with friends and family this holiday season, you might want to give this one a try. Works every time. (Except when you’re talking about kids. That could be weird, depending on your audience..)
){kind=link}
We usually use “And then I found $5!” But punching in the face might get a better reaction.
I forgot we used to say that five dollars thing…. I’m going to have to bring that back to life. I hate when I thought something was funny, but it’s crickets…
Robin Jingjit recently posted..The Berenstain Bears and the Funniest Boy Ever
I could have used that one on more than one occasion, because I like you am a storyteller and start conversations with just about anyone. I think it is because I am constantly looking for someone to actually listen to me unlike my husband and girls who see there are words coming out of my mouth, but choose to ignore them anyway, lol!!
On the other hand…..she wore a ring.
That’s how I end some things. Gonna try yours though!
The comments are as funny as the story! Lol!
YES I love that idea. You can also try ending your story with, “and then I found $20,” or, “and then I drank a beer.” Face punching is so much more impactful though. Literally.
Thanks to my friend Jackie K. (a friend of a friend of yours), I’m your newest follower. Love your blog.
Sarah Glaser recently posted..The Greenies
Hahahaha. I’m definitely using this in the future. (I’m also going to use it when I think my preteen isn’t listening to what I’m saying. If he doesn’t respond to that, he’s busted!!)
The Dose of Reality recently posted..We’re Going to Give It Up Mommyland—The Dose of Reality Style!
I have to give credit to my freshman year roommate, Melvin, who was often threatening to punch people in the face. Like, one time when I accidentally locked him out of the room while he was in the shower and he had to run down the street to the office to get a key in only his towel (he was about 6’4, 220 lbs and it was a very small towel), he threatened to punch me in the face (and then I punched him in the face!)
So I had just stepped off a plane on a return trip to Cincinnati from college. Or I drove back, I can’t remember (so I punched myself in the face!) And I was shuttled off to a friend of a friend’s house, where a bunch of pretty cool people from high school were hanging out for a pre-Holiday get together. I was a complete nerd in high school and am to this day, so I was already a bit uncomfortable by this cool crowd and I was disoriented and tired. So I started telling a story to one person (I forget who) about the lunch counter lady at college who would say weird things like using the term “Vodka” instead of water. As I was finishing the second huge prong of that story about how the lunch lady also said things like “two hundred and thirty dollars” when she meant “Two dollars and thirty cents”, I realized everyone was listening and the room was really quiet. I panicked as I realized internally that this was an awful story and there was no point to it whatsoever. So, as I finished the piece about “two hundred and thirty dollars”, my story was over. There really was no point and I was preparing to walk out of the room and go outside and just wait to leave, when I remembered Melvin. “So I punched her in the face.” And everyone laughed! And they forgot how pointless and awful the rest of it was! They were probably equally relieved that I had saved this pointless and worthless story too. And that’s it.
(So I punched Anna in the face!)
Ah, that’s funny…You definitely have to be careful with that ending and your audience. You don’t want someone to call Social Services on you.
Lisa recently posted..A Thanksgiving Miracle Part 2
HAHAHA… the comments are definitely adding to this post! Funny stuff. I am also a story teller, but I am pretty oblivious to things like no one thinks I’m funny. So I’m good. But next time I get a less than enthusiastic reaction, this will be my fall-back. Thanks!
Best advice I’ve received all day. Much better than an actual punch in the face. Ellen
Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms recently posted..Spinning In Circles