US Bank. A Drunk. And A Song.

Last week I went through a rather interesting experience. I hesitate to define it as “interesting” because I mean in reality this story may not be all that interesting to you (whoever you are). I’d like to believe that I’m an interesting person but I really just think I wind up being in interesting situations. I don’t want to take ownership for these situations because I sincerely don’t think I go around seeking them out… ya know? Like this next story I’m about to tell you, it’s not like I woke up last Wednesday and desperately wanted to be serenaded in public but that’s what happened. Alright, let me explain.

For my job, I have to go to different buildings or wellness fairs and table to promote my organization and the fundraising events we coordinate. So, last week I got to table at the US Bank Plaza building in downtown Minneapolis. The US Bank Plaza is a very big building filled with many different organizations all functioning within the hectic center(ish) of Minnesota. I needed to add some drama because I figured you didn’t care much about the building layout etc. Anyways, I set up my table and it happened to be in a prime location near all the restaurants the employees walk to over their lunch hour. I thought the spot was great and that I’d probably chat with so many people passing by…well that wasn’t the case.

Again, this story isn’t interesting yet but just wait. To paint a clear picture in your head of how few people talked to me let’s just say I had a sign that read “drop your business card for a chance to win” and one lady walked up, laughed, and dropped her business card into the EMPTY fishbowl and proceeded to ask me what she had won. I was creating so many hypothetical scenarios in my head about my life it threw me back to my lifeguarding days at the Albert Lea City Pool. Anyways, I was bored.

THEN (all caps to add theatrics) this man walked up and asked me what I was promoting. I instantly got excited and started to give my elevator pitch. If you know me you know I love to talk so I took this moment and ran with it. Well… half way through my pitch he stopped me rather abruptly and told me that I needed to project more. I was kind of taken back because if anything my entire life I’ve been shushed not told to project louder. He then proceeded to inform me that with my ‘cute’ voice I have to project louder so I’m heard and the reason he knew all of this was because he’s a lead singer in a band called “The Rocking Rebels.” At this point I knew there was no turning back.

After 40 or so minutes I knew EVERYTHING about this random man wandering US Bank Plaza on his way to the liquor store (yes it was noon) because he had run out of alcohol. However, he informed me that he isn’t a big drinker, which I appreciated the honesty (sarcasm). He took me on a trip down memory lane and informed me of his two brothers, who he claimed to be the most handsome of the three, and how his mom beat his father but he didn’t blame her for doing that and oddly enough he even gave me a background on Chuck Norris. You know when you start to feel uncomfortable in situations? Well, I had hit that point when he told me I needed to project more 40 minutes earlier.

I realized that the only way to get out of talking to this drunk homeless man wandering the building was to stop feeding into the conversation. Like I mentioned earlier, I’m a chatter so I don’t really possess the skillset to execute this properly. I finally decide to say I needed to check work emails and started just giving nods or even one word responses. All of a sudden, he got super set on racing me, he even offered to give me a few block head start and he’d catch up. Which makes complete sense because of his hockey background at Hill-Murray and cross-country participation back in high school. I just nodded and listened to him debating on how much of a heads start he should give me…..then… he burst into song.

The song he chose was rather fitting, “Run to You” by Bryan Adams. Even though the song was fitting the venue was not. I’m now sitting at a table, alone, in this food court area filled with people all staring while I was serenaded. He wasn’t kidding about the projecting thing either because his voice echoed throughout the hall. I couldn’t help myself and started laughing. After a few times running through the chorus he finally decided the song could conclude. Thank the Lord.

I learned/took away two things from this situation. First, I was a little disappointed in my fellow peeps walking by who looked but didn’t step in to help me out. It was obvious that I was uncomfortable in the situation even before the singing had started, but not one person stopped to even attempt to help me out of it. Moving forward, if I see something that looks odd or uncomfortable I now feel I need to step in even just to ask if everything is okay. I seriously think if someone would have come up and even pretended to take interest in what I was promoting the Rocking Rebel would have already been half way to the liquor store to refuel. Second, once the realization of the liquor store quest came back into play, the man concluded our encounter with informing me that I had made his day. I doubt he remembered me the next day or even quite possibly the next hour after our encounter but it sort of felt good to know that I made his day even though it didn’t necessarily make mine. My 40 minutes of semi-interest in this man’s life had him leaving feeling a little better about himself and his outlook on the day. So stop and listen and hopefully it doesn’t result in being serenaded.

-iKarli