By Cameron Purcell, Columnist
Cameron Ryan Purcell trying to climb the tree. Feb. 21. Photo by Michelle Lecumberry. Click on the picture to watch a video by Purcell.
I was rather desperate to find something entertaining for my beautiful stories of adventure that everyone so dearly enjoys. So desperate in fact, that I caved to the idea of doing yoga and having pictures taken of me wearing yoga pants, though the latter I did not mind doing.
Unfortunately, I was not in possession of yoga pants, and had to resort to jeans. I had recruited a friend, Michelle, to take pictures of me and admire my poses as I engage in the art of yoga. We waited for about an hour for yoga to begin in the FTC building, chatting with one another and the friends Michelle had brought with her. I liked the idea of having an audience as I did whatever one does in yoga.
However, when the time had arrived and we went into the FTC, we saw people flip flopping all over the place and doing Chuck Norris-esque kicks through the air. Michelle theorized that this may be some sort of dance class, but I waved off the notion. Surely these were just some extravagant yoga moves.
My theory was quickly disproven by the dance instructor who informed us that yoga was at 3 p.m., and not 1 p.m.. Neither Michelle nor I was going to wait two hours to do yoga and so we set off in search of a new adventure.
Cameron Ryan Purcell after not finding the yoga class. Feb. 21. Photo by Michelle Lecumberry.
Upon leaving the FTC building, I jokingly suggested I try to climb a tree for my next “Adventures with Cam”. Michelle objected, claiming that not only should I not do it, but that I couldn’t.
I took this as a challenge, throwing off my backpack in preparation for some hardcore tree climbing. Michelle, not wanting to see me fall off of a tree and break my bones, recommended driving one of the campus golf carts.
Coincidentally, a campus officer was driving by, and so we asked if we may commandeer his vehicle for the newspaper. As expected, he declined, but suggested we got to that back area place where all the golf carts are stored and ask whoever was in charge there.
And so we set off on our new quest for glory. Of course, Michelle was trying to talk me out of it, saying that we won’t be able to get a golf cart, that I could just write about how yoga didn’t work out.
But I was determined.
We entered the isolated loading zone and found a metal door beside a few parked golf carts. Without hesitation, I knocked on the door with a big smile on my face. We waited for a few minutes before I knocked once more.
And of course Michelle said we should leave. I convinced her to let me knock on the door one last time, and like the old saying goes, “Third time’s the charm.”
A young man opened the door, greeting us with a friendly expression. I explained to him that we wished to use one of their golf carts for the school newspaper, which we were a part of. He ducked back inside to speak with someone and came back out shortly after. With a big smile, he waved us inside and Michelle and I looked at each other with the biggest surprised faces on the planet.
Not even I thought this would work. Yet, here we were, going inside here to presumably get the keys to a golf cart! We turned a corner and came face to face with a much older man, to whom we explained our situation. He told us that he could not lend us one of their carts, as Lone Star would be liable if we got hurt while driving one.
We understood and thanked him for his time, but we were still saddened by this failure.
Columnist Cameron Ryan Purcell disappointed after failing to drive a golf car. Feb. 21. Photo by Michelle Lecumberry.
At this point, I was very desperate for an adventure. Michelle pressed me to give up, to just write about what had happened thus far.
I was not going to write about my failures.
I ran at the tree, Michelle yelling at me to stop whatever it was that I was doing, concerned for my safety.
I grabbed at the tree. I was ready to climb the heck out of this piece of nature. I was going to write a beautiful adventure about it and there’d be a picture of me sitting on a tree branch.
But Michelle’s continued pleading combined with the boo-boo I got from the tree bark scraping against my skin forced me to end this madness.
It was depressing really. This would be my adventure: the first day I’ve come into contact with failure.
In all seriousness though, despite the series of unfortunate events Michelle and I faced, it was a fun day. Sure we accomplished literally nothing whatsoever and I ended up humiliating myself. And sure my fans don’t get to see pictures of me in yoga pants.
But as horrible of a tragedy as that is, failure helps us to grow as people, to learn new things about ourselves.
Failure is what motivates us to overcome obstacles….
Which is why I am going to climb that tree.
Maybe not today.
Maybe not tomorrow.
But it will happen.
