Over the years I've learned to laugh at my AD/HD fueled moments, especially the impulsive ones. I had a chance to recall one a few weeks ago when an author friend was asking readers if they had ever lost control of themselves around a celebrity. I'm usually fairly cool around celebrities and I have my AD/HD to thank. There was one time I lost it around a celebrity. Once. The experience was so embarrassing that I have been calm and collected around them ever since.
However, first there was that ONE time…
It was 1989 and I was heading back east for World Con in Boston. My flight out of SLC hadn't opened for boarding yet, so I wandered around the airport and walked right past Michael Keaton.
My thoughts went something like this: OHMIGOSHITSMICHAELKEATONRIGHTINFRONTOFMEITHINKISHOULDFOLLOWHIMANDWORKUPTHECOURAGETOSAYSOMETHINGOHMYGOSH!!!!!
He walked into the men's room.
I followed.
When I passed around the corner, I came to a stop in front of a cinematic god whizzing in a public urinal. And then I thought:
WHATONEARTHAREYOUDOINGYOUMORONDONTJUSTSTANDTHERESTARINGATTHEMANPEEINGFORCRYINGOUTLOUDHAVESOMEPRIDEIFHESEESYOUSTARINGHELLNEVERTALKTOYOUMOOOOVE!!!!
I darted around the corner and stared at myself in the bathroom mirror. My heart was pounding, I was panting, and I tried desperately to calm myself so I could talk to him.
Before I was ready, Michael Keaton was walking up to the sink next to me.
I turned to face him and blurted out, "I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT DESPITE WHAT THE CRITICS SAY I THOUGHT YOU WERE BRILLIANT IN BATMAN."
The man hadn't even finished washing his hands yet.
I may have even tried to shake his hand while it was still soapy. I can't remember. It's all a blur now. It wasn't my brightest moment…
Mr. Keaton was gracious and thanked me, but there was a look of puzzled bemusement on his face. Twenty years later I may still cringe, but now only sheepishly and with a grin. AD/HD sure gives me plenty of humorous anecdotes to tell my future grandchildren, and if I'm ever famous enough to roast, I can provide plenty of material. There are far too many times I have inspired that puzzled look on people's faces, but I'm less likely to beat myself up about it these days. I like myself now, and I accept AD/HD as part of the package.
What are some of the funny, embarrassing things you found yourself impulsively doing? Any social fires you leaped into before thinking them through? Maybe you don't have AD/HD but you have a funny impulse story to share anyway. Leave a comment below.
