I'm certain everyone knows this guy: He's the one that always has a story to tell about whatever it is you're having a conversation about. Now, mind you, he wasn't originally a part of said conversation (is he ever?), but he must share his insight. He's been everywhere, done and seen everything. I work with this guy.

He's a dishwasher at the restaurant where I work. Apparently, he once served in the U.S. Army, which is about the only thing that has come out of his mouth that I actually believe. Most people don't want to hear him talk, but I try to encourage him, so as to get the wildest tale possible.

His favorite story to tell, I think, involves Teddy Pendergrass. He claims he saw Teddy Pendergrass going into a gay bar in Beverly Hills in the early 70's or late 80's. This would be shortly before Pendergrass was involved in a car accident that left him a paraplegic, one in which he was in the company of a transvestite. I'm sure this story was big news in 1982, and I'm sure this guy's been telling of his encounter with Teddy Pendergrass ever since.

The point is, I believe that this guy sees or hears stories in the news and assimilates them into his own life. I understand that some people like to be grandiose and tell untruths for the purpose of impressing others, but no one acknowledges the importance of stories. The disinterest when he talks is palpable.

One particular gem happened a couple of weeks back. There was a major earthquake in the Pacific Ocean, prompting tsunami warnings throughout Japan. The next day, he comes in and tells us about the time he was on the beach and outran a tsunami. "Yeah, I saw the water pull away from the beach, and we turned and ran. We were lucky to get out of there!" I said, "Wow, that must of have been scary!" mostly because if I told he was full of shit, he might stop telling me stories. I'm certain this will become an ongoing series.