I was once invited to deliver a lecture to several thousand people in Tokyo. I prepared the speech carefully, toning down the English, and eliminating all colloquialisms to make it easier for my audience to understand me. But as I gave the lecture, it was obvious that I wasn't getting through to my audience. I rely heavily on establishing a rapport with my listeners, but I just couldn't seem to break down the cultural barrier between myself and my audience. They would not laugh at even the most blatant jokes. But then, halfway into the speech, I failed to take into account Japanese cleanliness as I pounced like a cat during a demonstration. The floor was waxed perfectly smooth and my feet whisked out from underneath me. My butt hit the floor with a heavy thud and I sat there stunned, flat on my butt in front of three thousand horrified Japanese.
After recovering from the initial shock of the impact, I remember thinking, "What do I do now?" I couldn't help myself a smile crept across my face and widened into a grin. After all, it was a genuinely funny predicament. Seeing my grin, the audience burst into uproarious laughter and applause. |