Kurtis the stock boy

[classicman]

In a supermarket, Kurtis the stock boy, was busily working when a new voice came over the loud speaker asking for a carry out at register 4.

Kurtis was almost finished, wanted to get some fresh air, and decided to answer the call. As he approached the check-out stand a distant smile caught his eye.

The new check-out girl was beautiful. She was an older woman (maybe 26 and he was only 22) and he fell in love.

Later that day, after his shift was over, he waited by the punch clock to find out her name. She came into the break room, smiled softly at him, took her card and punched out, and then left. He looked at her card … BRENDA. He walked out only to see her start walking up the road.

Next day, he waited outside as she left the supermarket and offered her a ride home. He looked harmless enough, and she accepted.

When he dropped her off, he asked if maybe he could see her again, outside of work. She simply said it wasn’t possible. He pressed and she explained she had two children and she couldn’t afford a baby-sitter, so he offered to pay for the baby-sitter. Reluctantly she accepted his offer for a date for the following Saturday.

That Saturday night he arrived at her door only to have her tell him that she was unable to go with him. The baby-sitter had called and canceled, to which Kurtis simply said, “Well, let’s take the kids with us.” She tried to explain that taking the children was not an option, but again not taking no for an answer, he pressed.

Finally Brenda brought him inside to meet her children. She had an older daughter who was just as cute as a bug, Kurtis thought. Then Brenda brought out her son in a wheelchair. He was born a paraplegic with Down syndrome.
Kurtis asked Brenda, “I still don’t understand why the kids can’t come with us?” Brenda was amazed. Most men would run away

from a woman with two kids, especially if one had disabilities, just like her first husband and father of her children had done.

Kurtis was not ordinary. He had a different mindset.

That evening Kurtis and Brenda loaded up the kids, went to dinner and the movies. When her son needed anything Kurtis would take care of him. When he needed to use the restroom, he picked him up out of his wheelchair, took him and brought him back.
The kids loved Kurtis.

At the end of the evening, Brenda knew this was the man she was going to marry and spend the rest of her life with. A year later, they were married and Kurtis adopted both of her children. Since then they have added two more kids.

So what happened to Kurtis, the stock boy and Brenda, the check-out girl?

Well, Mr. & Mrs. Kurt Warner now live in Arizona , where he is currently employed as the quarterback of the National Football League Arizona Cardinals and has his team in the Super Bowl. Is this a surprise ending or could you have guessed that he was not an ordinary person.

It should be noted that he also quarterbacked the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI.
He has also been the NLF’s Most Valuable Player twice
and the Super Bowl’s Most Valuable Player.

Today at church our minister mentioned that when Kurt, his wife, and children go out to eat, he has one of his children pick out a family eating at the restaurant. Kurt then tells the wait staff he is picking up the tab for that family’s dinner anonymously.

He remembers the days he was working nights in the grocery store and feeding his family on food stamps.

[wolf]

Well, mostly.

[Perry Winkle]

Wow. The real story is much more interesting than the trite email. Who would have thought?

[Sundae]

The email does manke him sound a bit creepy at the beginning.
"You ARE going on a date with me. I AM going to meet your children!"

But it was worth it to read the real story. People in popular sports are paid obscene amounts of money - it's nice to know some of them really had to work at it, and are decent people despite it.

[classicman]

Geez, you're a tough crowd!

[Pie]

I once had the most rip-roaring fight with my husband over whether or not it was acceptable to knowingly embellish a story because it made it "more interesting". That was as close as we've ever gotten to divorce.

[glatt]

was there actual ripping and roaring involved or were you the one arguing in favor of embellishing?

[Pie]

no ripping, but some roaring.
FTR I am vehemently anti-embellishment.

[footfootfoot]

Originally Posted by Pie

I once had the most rip-roaring fight with my husband over whether or not it was acceptable to knowingly embellish a story because it made it "more interesting". That was as close as we've ever gotten to divorce.

My wife and I have a similar disagreement, she feels it makes a story more interesting then it is ok to create new facts. My position is that it is how a story is told that makes it interesting and all the embellishments in the world won't help you if you can't tell a story.

[Perry Winkle]

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

My position is that it is how a story is told that makes it interesting and all the embellishments in the world won't help you if you can't tell a story.

Further, a few embellishments won't make a boring story interesting. Unless you are obviously telling a "fish story" then it also paints you with the brush of a liar.*

* Nobody lies as well as they think they do.

[xoxoxoBruce]

No, it makes you a story teller.
"Fish stories" are acceptable, told in a way that they are obviously "fish stories".

[Sundae]

When I'm writing - here or via email - I will tell the truth. I might spin it to an extent, including my thoughts or not, including other people's reactions or not, but you could verify the facts. It's a challenge, taking what actually happened and letting other people see the humorous side. Making things up would just be cheating.

Telling a story now... Not my particular talent.
I usually only make like-minded people laugh when I tell a story face-to-face. Dana for example. I might stray further off the literal path in that case.
I feel I have to replace the amusing asides I'd write with something else.

I am not a raconteur. But I am gratified that those at the top of their game - Peter Ustinov, David Niven, John Mortimer - were all picked up on their stories from time to time. I might grow into my talent