Re-POST from May 6, 2012:
It happened decades ago. That phone exchange in my parents’ kitchen.
It was not long after exiting my college “Camelot”. The steep plunge from grandiose, myopic college senior to insecure, jobless, debt-ridden returning daughter/enabler whose vision hadn’t included re-filling her parents’ empty nest. What in God’s name had happened to the delicious and adventurous fast-lane to an independent adult life? Somehow I had gotten on a wrong entry ramp and was zooming backwards in time.
I could feel four years of amassed self-esteem relentlessly leaking away with each passing, unemployed day – hour – minute.
Needless to say there was no small spurt of interest one listless afternoon when the owner of a perky, female voice at the other end of the phone identified herself as being from the public relations department of my recent, beloved college.
Apparently someone whom this woman could not identify had disclosed to her that I had a strong interest in acting. I was surprised she would bring that up. Yes, I did enjoy acting. I had acted a lot in high school. But when I had gone to the smallish college only theater majors had opportunities to perform so I had had to give the passion up for four years.
She excitedly let fly: “We want you to STAR in a commercial for the college!”
“As an actress?” I asked.
“No, silly! As YOU, of course!!!!”
She went on to explain that enrollment had dropped dramatically, so the upshot was I would stand in front of my BMW, presumably in my power suit with my power briefcase on my way to my power job, and beaming gratefully at the camera exclaim that I owed it ALL to College X!
“You mean you want me to perform this as an ACTRESS!” I persisted.
“NO! AS YOU!!!” Exasperation beginning to replace perkiness.
“But I don’t have a BMW,” I explained and added mournfully, “I don’t even own a car!” (Hell, I didn’t even have the suit or briefcase. Oh yeah, or a JOB!)
There was a long pause with the unspoken but implied “so-what-is-your-point?” hanging out there.
I took a breath. “I have NO car. NO job. I have to pay back my student loan. I live with my parents.” (Shoot me now!)
She, totally unaffected: “This would be great for your acting resume! A MARVELOUS opportunity!”
Aha. I suddenly suspected it would be an UNPAID marvelous opportunity.
But I was still dealing with the FALSE ADVERTISING apparently-non-issue to even begin to get to other issues.
She blithely continued the pitch: “We need YOU to convey that going to OUR college fast-tracks you to success!’
“Well,” I stammered (this was years before libbyliberal had climbed on any high horses), “I could do that if I did it as an ACTRESS, and, well, you know, I didn’t have to state my actual name!”
“NO, NO, NO!!!!. We NEED you because you ARE a graduate. We need that credibility. THAT IS THE POINT!!!!” (Could I be any DUMBER I could hear her thinking through the phone.)
I took a deep breath and explained to the young woman that I could not bring myself to perform such a commercial since I would be L-Y-I-N-G!!!
She shot back. “That’s okay. We don’t mind.”
This chick clearly couldn’t begin to connect my ethical dots.
The tone of my response was more confused and apologetic than righteous I am ashamed to admit. “But, you see, I do.”
She offered me an abrupt but pitying “Good luck!” then hung up.
-------------
Great writing, Libby! More of it! Have you ever wondered what would've been - if you did do it? R
...and after that phone conversation Hillery/Michelle, who had no problem with people being liars - as long as they LOOK doing it, went on to meet a man named Bill/Barrack...
What an obnoxious idiot that PR person was. Good for you taking the high road. Request: how about some springtime in NYC shots as only you can do them?
So enjoyable to read. Thanks. Honesty has lead you pursue the exposure of dishonesty. R.
Beings to mind these lyrics:
"As soon as your born they make you feel small
by giving you no time instead of it all
Till the pain is so big you feel nothing at all
They hurt you at home and they hit you at school
They hate you if you're clever and despise a fool
Till you're so f*cking crazy you can't follow their rules
When they've tortured and scared you for 20 odd years
then they expect you to pick a career
When you can't really function you're so full of fear"
-R-
"As soon as your born they make you feel small
by giving you no time instead of it all
Till the pain is so big you feel nothing at all
They hurt you at home and they hit you at school
They hate you if you're clever and despise a fool
Till you're so f*cking crazy you can't follow their rules
When they've tortured and scared you for 20 odd years
then they expect you to pick a career
When you can't really function you're so full of fear"
-R-
Great story. You are principled to the core. I have a good friend who works in a major university in the Midwest who has lots of similar stories about things they do to increase rankings and application numbers. It's pretty depressing.
One of those moment-of-truth, er, moments that you passed with flying colors libby. Well done and well told. Almost anyone would have been tempted and most would have succumbed. Good for you. Do you know what happened to whoever it was that wound up doing the shoot? Just wondering how great it was for their resumé.
You didn't want to lie?!!!
WTF?! That's just plain ol'....... ol'........Un-Amerikan, that's what it is! How could you let your alma mater, and your fellow students, and all your fine, caring professors, down! Your country too! Heck, if you kept on like that, nobody in the whole world would believe you're American.
Ahhhh, the silly idealism and principles of youth.........
I hope you grew out of that nonsense!
R
;-)
.
WTF?! That's just plain ol'....... ol'........Un-Amerikan, that's what it is! How could you let your alma mater, and your fellow students, and all your fine, caring professors, down! Your country too! Heck, if you kept on like that, nobody in the whole world would believe you're American.
Ahhhh, the silly idealism and principles of youth.........
I hope you grew out of that nonsense!
R
;-)
.
Great post R&R ;-)
We are of course wondering what your alma mater was.
In two respects, moving in opposite directions:
What alma mater helped you solidify your values?
What alma mater sent a PR person to try to get you to subvert your values?
The First Temptation Of Libby
In two respects, moving in opposite directions:
What alma mater helped you solidify your values?
What alma mater sent a PR person to try to get you to subvert your values?
The First Temptation Of Libby
LLL has the potential to do for 'progressives' what Ayn Rand did for 'objectivists'. The ERSTWHILE URGENCY of shifting from these
DEAD BLOGSITE SCROLLS ought by now be a foregone conclusion.
O hi Libby.
im attempting to market my SS anthology: Zero but Night (c) so I WONT B @ MUCH ANYMORE. Also, by now it should be evident there is an onerous AI about, theater is alive and well, 22 U.S. Veterans purportedly commit themselves everyday, over 90 nations purportedly have 'drone programs' . . . . So Marietta and me are "'hell bent for leather''' west toward / VenturACA /.
She is on my shoulder with a magnesium yardstick rapping my knuckles every time my pen lifts from paper. Yesterday during the Marine color guard for another one of the Band of Brothers, a kindergarten little boy had become separated from his mom and dad in the November rain while the cannons sounded and he tried to see what the sound was.
He was sacred. Trying not to cry. His ears hurt.
DEAD BLOGSITE SCROLLS ought by now be a foregone conclusion.
O hi Libby.
im attempting to market my SS anthology: Zero but Night (c) so I WONT B @ MUCH ANYMORE. Also, by now it should be evident there is an onerous AI about, theater is alive and well, 22 U.S. Veterans purportedly commit themselves everyday, over 90 nations purportedly have 'drone programs' . . . . So Marietta and me are "'hell bent for leather''' west toward / VenturACA /.
She is on my shoulder with a magnesium yardstick rapping my knuckles every time my pen lifts from paper. Yesterday during the Marine color guard for another one of the Band of Brothers, a kindergarten little boy had become separated from his mom and dad in the November rain while the cannons sounded and he tried to see what the sound was.
He was sacred. Trying not to cry. His ears hurt.
No comments:
Post a Comment