Stand-up Idol

Back during the beginning of time I considered myself a funny kind-of-guy. Well so did the people around, in-fact people always told me that someday I could totally become a stand-up comedian. At first I laughed it off but secretly I had always wanted to be able to do what they do. To stand in-front of thousands of people and make them laugh. There was just always something so strangely satisfying about that dream. Especially when I imagined myself walking on and off stage hearing the audience go mad with applause. Well for President's day family and I went to see the one and only, Gabriel Iglesias perform at the NAU campus in Flagstaff. Clearly it wasn't his biggest performance but he killed it all the same. Two other comedians also performed that night. A lot smaller than his usual entourage but funny none-the-less. It was a whole new show as Gabriel tried out new stories in his performance to see how they would hit off with his audience. Of course he was a humongous hit and even went on past his time on stage to perform some older stories.The epic part was that since they were old just about the entire house had heard them before and said them with him word for word. All in all it was an amazing night until when trying to leave we were trapped in the parking lot. Now coming to the high school with my head full of ideas and inspiration. I heard about a talent show that was going to take place soon and decided this could be my big chance to reach for the stars and touch them. Summoning every ounce of courage that I could muster I stalked up to the Drama director and signed up for an audition. When I lay awake at nights to this very day I wish I would have just walked away and let this one opportunity go. The thing was I couldn't tell a joke to save my life. Whenever I pull a funny its because I'm rolling with whatever situation I'm in. I'm like a situational comedian not a stand-up comedian, which is what I dream't to be. As the band finished their song I even conquered my stage fright for if just the briefest of moments to take that stage but as I sat down on the stool with mic in hand everything went wrong. I looked straight ahead into those bright lights and lost my concentration if only for an instant. That was all it took for all of my ideas to take flight leaving a very panic stricken Freshman without an act. Panicking I made the crucial mistake of looking down to first row and directly into the Drama directors eyes. Now she wasn't just giving me any observant judge look but a nasty stink eye as she stared me down which I found out later is kind of her thing. I could feel my body slowly turning to stone. I made a very weak attempt at a joke and eventually just stalked off stage. I walked up the steps to the exit feeling eternally shamed, taking a turn to the restrooms instead of leaving where I stood crying in frustration staring at my reflection sickened at what stared back. I felt as if I was in arms reach of the stars and blew it all in one audition. I sucked up my emotions and did my best to walk calmly back to the director and tell her I wouldn't be re-auditioning. As I walked home though it felt as if there was a massive weight off my chest and in its place an even bigger amount of shame. After that I was sucked into Drama somehow and now I'm storming the stage but with a whole new role. Sometimes we don't always get the part we want but the important thing is that we keep trying because you'll never know when you find yourself shining in a place you never imagined yourself in before.