T-SQL Tuesday #123 – Being Will Parker

T-SQL Tuesday #123: Life hacks to make your day easier

When I was young, I was impatient. Well, I still am, but I’ve gotten better at controlling it. That impatience would manifest itself in irritability, in “knowing” I was better or smarter than someone else, when that someone else would get the job or role I really wanted. (I’ve mentioned here before that I started college as a Theatre major.)

After I started working full time in Data Processing, I started doing shows in community theatre, either playing trombone in the pit orchestra or playing minor characters in the show, or being in the chorus. I knew I could do bigger parts, and it frustrated me, and my impatience would be on display for everyone. And it prevented me from getting the parts I wanted in other shows.

Donna Harper Case as Ado Annie and Allen White as Will Parker, 1982

Then I got that break. I got the role I wanted, the role of Will Parker in Oklahoma! at the Olde Towne Hall Theatre in North Ridgeville, Ohio. Now, for those of you who don’t know, Will is a lovable character. Everybody loves Will!

In preparing for the role, I took on the character as my own. I was as friendly and open to everyone as Will is, and, to my surprise, people really liked me! I didn’t show my usual impatience because I had the role I wanted, and that role taught me so much about dealing with people. Life actually got better because I took on this character as part of my personality.

Now, when I struggle with my dealings with people, I try to remember to “Be Will Parker.” It’s not easy, and sometimes it doesn’t work, but for the most part it does.

I’ve found that in general I really like people, and gosh darn it, they like me back! And it’s all because of a character I played almost 40 years ago.

So thank you to all of you that I have met, and who’ve made my life the wonderful blessing it’s become, and to Bruce Lanning, who took that chance on me and cast me as Will.

And thanks to Jess Pomfret (b|t) for coming up with this great T-SQL Tuesday theme!