Thursday, August 9, 2012

Knocked down and pulled back up

By David Peake (Chicago, IL)


“Hi, my name is David and I don’t mean to disturb you,” I began. But the woman cut me off in front of everyone with a loud, “THEN DON’T!” Did she really say that? As I walked away I wanted to be angry, but all of a sudden I smirked; I had finally experienced the rejection of a journalist.

People often think that journalists just sit at a desk, write, and publish stories—but they do much more. They go through the good, the bad, the highs, the lows, and even rock bottom. Hearing the rude tone of the woman screaming, “THEN DON’T!” showed me that while journalists often face obstacles in their work, they have to find ways overcome them.

Walking through the park filled with busy people, I kept hearing the woman’s voice resonating in my head. Should I give up on the story altogether? I continued walking and observing the teenagers, adults, couples, and friends as they sat on their blankets. “Do they look like they have much to say? Not them, they probably don’t care. She has headphones in her ears. Wow, she has a book in her hand—she must be smart,” traveled through my head as I walked.

Approaching the woman sitting with a book, I still felt a lot of doubt. I introduced myself asking if she would like to be interviewed. She spoke with a low voice. Before I knew it I realized I was speaking with an intellectual.

After the interview finally ended I was proud of myself. If I had let that “THEN DON’T!” weigh me down, then I never would have met such an intellectual. I learned that journalists must endure until the end, and no matter how many times you are rejected, you can never stop! Yes, journalist do get rejected daily—but it takes a persistent journalist to get the story.

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