You Don't Have To Be An Asshole

Or that one time an MMA manager was kind of an asshole to me

I have a terrible memory. There could be several reasons for this. The first is that if something doesn't strike me as immediately exciting or engaging, I tune it out. My brain is already pushed passed capacity thanks to all the ugliness and stupidity that's in there. With that, it's difficult to cram something new into whatever open crannies are in there. The second reason is that I'm incredibly self-centered, which is kind of funny since I don't really like anything about myself. The third is that I think I've had more than my fair share of concussions over the years. That's a bummer because there are occasions where I struggle to remember simple everyday items or words. That memory loss has gotten worse over the past few years. That's a bit worrisome when I start to think about what the future could hold. Anyway, I think that covers why my memory is for shit.

So, why do I tell you that? Well, there is a point. That point isn't to say to you that I'm an egotistical asshole who has had some brain injuries, even if that might be true. The point is to let you know, I have a terrible memory and sometimes that leads to awkward situations.

Flashback to Montreal in 2012. I'm doing the writing thing for a website that I won't name and covering UFC 154. I'm at open workouts for the event. I remember this because Tom Lawlor was there and he and his crew suited up in adult diapers to do some sumo for his open workout and see, that's what I mean by something immediately striking me as interesting. Anyway, before Lawlor's performance, I was getting my shit together for the interviews and I was introduced to a manager.

Here is where my memory let me down. The person making the introduction asked me if I knew who the other person was and I thought I recognized them, but I was unsure, so I stumbled a bit and I said, "I think so."

Now here's where I tell you that I had (have?) a bad case of social anxiety. I think I've gotten over it for the most part, but if I start to feel uncomfortable it comes back in a big way. Seven years ago I was not even close to being over that and so when the next thing happened, my brain just started firing in all kinds of different directions.

When I said, "I think so," this manager, who I didn't know was a manager and thought was someone else, laughed in a scoffing kind of way and asked, "You think so?" This person and I use that to say a human being, then proceeded to immediately make me dislike him because the implication was that of course I should know who he was. He all but proclaimed himself as kind of a big deal. I stuttered and stammered my way through the introduction all the while feeling smaller and dumber with each passing second. I couldn't wait for an opening to move on. I did eventually extract myself from the situation, but I never forgot that moment.

However, I did push the memory to the back of my mind. This past week that recollection came back to me in a big way when I saw this person again puffing his chest out and trying to shine a spotlight on himself on social media.

I guess the point of this entire thing is a simple one, don't be an asshole.

——-

Movie Time

This is a good movie and you should watch it on Netflix. As a bonus, David Yow from Scratch Acid and Jesus Lizard plays a heavy.