Brandon Stanton's Blog, page 240

“I tried to fight it at first. I told myself it was all...

“I tried to fight it at first. I told myself it was all in my mind. I went to experimental trials. I did mental exercises. But none of it worked. If you tell me a name, I’ll forget it in five minutes. One minute, actually. They’ve got a few medicines but the effects are negligible. So I don’t even bother with the doctor. I read as much as I can so I can hold onto words and spelling for as long as possible. But other than that, there’s nothing left to do but wait.”

“I’m going to a birthday party.”

“I’m going to a birthday party.”

“I’m the muscle.”

“I’m the muscle.”

“We grew up poor. We were on every form of government...

“We grew up poor. We were on every form of government assistance. I grew up in a world where I could never predict what would happen or when it would happen. It was chaos all the time. I did all I could to get out. I made good grades. I went to college. But my mother and sister are still there—working minimum wage jobs, smoking a lot of weed, and making the same mistakes over and over again. There’s no recognition of a pattern. I finally decided that I’m happier when I avoid contact. I don’t enjoy talking to them on the phone. I don’t enjoy visiting. They are both so miserable in their own lives, and it brings me down, so I just stay away. I guess my mother tried in her own way. But that’s not enough for me.”

“My mom passed away when I was 9, and I didn’t really take her...

“My mom passed away when I was 9, and I didn’t really take her last years very seriously. Most of the time when we went to visit her at the hospital, I thought it was boring, so I’d just go in the other room and watch cartoons. It sounds stupid, but I never knew she was dying because she promised me we’d go fishing.”

“I’m #1 on Google!”

“I’m #1 on Google!”

“I was just telling her about how her mother and I used to...

“I was just telling her about how her mother and I used to come to these games in the early 80’s. We lost her to a drunk driver five years ago. She really held the household together, so we’re still struggling without her. I think I’m still in shock from that day. She was the one that got the call. I was in the kitchen getting ready for work at 5 AM, and I suddenly I hear her screaming from her room: ‘Mommy’s dead! Mommy’s dead! Mommy’s dead!’”

“He lets us eat more dessert than mom does.”

“He lets us eat more dessert than mom does.”

“I’m trying to beat cancer for the fifth time. The first time...

“I’m trying to beat cancer for the fifth time. The first time was in 1997, and the doctor told me that I’d only live for six months. I’ve had it in my armpit, my knee, my back, and twice in my groin. Life keeps throwing me curveballs. I keep hitting them.”

“One time I hit a home run. The pitcher threw the ball, well,...

“One time I hit a home run. The pitcher threw the ball, well, the pitcher was my dad, so my dad threw the ball and I hit it all the way to the yellow pole, which means it was a home run. I’m not sure if we won the game or not because we don’t keep score.”