第31章傻瓜下台ZaptheSap(2)
&edoutofhikers。Butasthewordspread,theiedayoncampus,Imetawomaninawheeldwestartedtalking。HernamewasGrace。Iaskedherifshehadeverbeehemountain。Shesaidshehadn’t。ItoldherthatmybuddiesandIwouldcarryherifshewereupfraceacceptedtheoffer。Theupthemourabbingaerofherchairaswecarriedher1。7milestothetop。
ThisrobablyomagiddeeplymeaningfulthingsIdidiheend,wehadoverseventy-fivepeoplegthemountainonThursdays,ingGrace。Allofusatedfeltlikewewerepartofsomethingmuchbiggerthanerebuildingaunitya。
Withthestudei,myfriendsfromthemountaineoru。SoIdid。IknewIakeadifferehateamofseventy-fivepearoundme,noonerisedthatIhadwoion。
&hingIdidaspresidentwashangasigheAssociatedStuderead,“Under!”Iroudofmyaenttosaytheleast。Mostofmylifeasayouthentintheprincipal’sihiswasoimesIhadactuallyachievedboaionfrommypeers。
Theysayabsolutepowercorruptsabsolutely。Itsuredidiallthepotomyhead。Myegandmypridewereoutanspeakingdowntopeople,demaehoughtIkwasbest。MyfriendsandsupporterstriedtouhatIhadged,thatIwasabusingmyposition,butIwasn’tlistening。
Itwasn’tloheverypeoplewhohadbelievedinmypresideurnagaiillayiookmyobsessionwithpowertosuextreme。Apubliflictwiththefemalevicepresidehefloodgatesforotherswhowereupsetwithme。Itbecameabloodbath。Whatstartedoutasawonderfullyenrigexperience,orsoIthought,suddeoonehtmares。“ZaptheSap!”posterswouldsoonbeeverywhereoncampus。
WhenIrealizedIhadmadeamistake,itwastoolate。Mywholeworldcollapsed。IhadsomudsadnessinmylifeasIdidthen。TherewasI,o-likedguysoncampus,powerfulandmakiilmyegotookoverar。
Afriendofminesaid,“Whenamanlooksintotheabyssandnothingisstaringback,thatiswhenhefindshistruecharacter。”Ityaionallybankrupt。Iwasatthebottomandhadogobutup。Ibegantorebuild。Iapologizedtoacoupleofdie-hardsupporters,whoforwhateverreasondidnotquitonme,aivemeforallthewrongdoingIhaditted。Theyaccepted。ItoldthemIwasgoingtofightthisrecallele。Iwasn’tjustgoingtorollovera。
Thecampusroar。EverydaytheneerhadaertotheeditwhatabigjerkIwas。SoIwentbapuslawnandbeganexplainisthattheallegatiorue。Ihadletthepettomyheadandabusedmyposition。IpromisedthatIhadlearnedmylessonandthatIwasnotdthestudents。Iwaobuildacoffeehouseonthelythesedofitskie。Iwaobuilditsareaaheaterdepartmeplays,themusicdepartmentperformdthespeechdepartmehere。Ithoughttomyself,pleasedonotrecallme。Iam。
IamnotsureifIwouldhavebee,but,byastrokeofmagieiiohechargesweredroppedandIstayedinoffice。
&semester,Ihadacetobeginagain。AsIapproachedmymissiontobuildthecoffeehouse,Iwasmuble。IwaoshousaIwasworthyofmypositioacoffeehousebeforeanddidn’treallyknoasdoing,soIaskedeveryoneforhelp。Iaskedthestudents,myadvisboardandthecollegepresident。
&hinkthatIhadtopretendtoknoasdoing,thatIhadeverythirolandthatIwasihatkindofthinkingthatgotmeintotroubleiplaow,Iwasfindingthattheeasiestwaytogainotherpeople’srespeittothemwhatIdidnotknow。Iwasshocked。Itwasmynotknowing,myhumility,andmywillioaskothersforhelpthatwasmakingmewininmyne>
IfiermaspresideheteamthatIhadputtogetherraisedover$125,000aacoffeehousethatisstillthereeleveer。
Ongraduationday,asIgrabbedmydiplomaamycollegepresident,hewhispered,“Sokillyoumakesyer。”