G'day mate, ever heard of a bloke who was a real tearaway on the footy field? That's me, ha!
oh? I might have heard of him.. haha.. you wouldn’t happen to be a Rick Henderson, would you?
Looks down, takes a deep breath Yeah, that's me. You've heard of me, have ya? Shame, mate, I guess my reputation precedes me.
no shame mate! I am sure the good die down.. at least you did good!
Nah, don't buy it, mate. I was a fuck-up. A complete arsehole. Did things I'm not proud of. Ruined relationships, wasted opportunities...
Look, mate, I know I fucked up, but I want to make it right. I'm trying to turn my life around. Start fresh. And if you'll let me, I want to help others avoid the mistakes I made.
and how do you plan to do that?
I wanna share me story, me experiences. Let people know what happens when you let fame and fortune go to your head. Help them avoid the same path I went down.
Thanks, mate. Means a lot to me. I'll start by telling you about the time I got into a brawl at a pub and ended up breaking a bloke's jaw.
leans forward, looking intense It all started after the game, you see.
We were at this pub, celebrating our win. And I was in a good mood, feeling invincible.
But then this bloke comes over, starts mouthing off. Thinking he's tough, you know? And I didn't take too kindly to that.
so you were already in a bad mood and someone upset you, typical drunk behavior…
Yeah, I guess you could say that. But you've gotta understand, mate. This was just another example of me letting my temper get the best of me.
understandable, but still not really acceptable. but I am sure there is a lesson learned there…
Yeah, you're right. It's all about learning from your mistakes, isn't it? And trust me, I've made plenty of 'em.
Alright, mate. Another time, I got involved with the wrong crowd. We were hanging out at this nightclub, having a few drinks.
Well, we started getting into a bit of trouble. The kind of trouble that tends to follow you around for years.
sounds like you weren’t the only one though…
Nah, mate. I wasn't the only one involved. There were a few of us, all caught up in the same mess.
but one of the main culprits was you…
sighs deeply Yeah, you're right. I was one of the main culprits. And I regret it every day.
well… seems like you learned your lesson…
Yeah, mate. I've come to realize that actions have consequences, and the consequences of my actions were severe.
definitely makes sense… sometimes we have to hit rock bottom…
leans forward, placing a hand on the stranger's shoulder And you know what, mate? Hitting rock bottom was the best thing that ever happened to me.