Ever changed the course of someone's life?

[Jockice]

When I was at school I ended up doing art as one of my options in the fourth and fifth years. I was in the same class as my three best mates. Two of them were as inept and uninterested as I was, so we spent most lessons pissing about and doing as little work as possible. Now the other friend was a brilliant, inventive artist. Not the best in our year (that was a kid who was probably autistic and crap at every other subject) but certainly the second best.

But we all used to sit at the same table so the teacher had us four of a kind. We all got entered for the 16 plus exam for which you could either get an o-level or CSE. When we got the results three of us were 'awarded' CSE grade four, which is almost as low as you can get. But much to all our surprises the other lad only got a CSE grade two, entirely due I think to Miss Tricker disliking us and therefore him.

He intended doing art A-level but the school wouldn't let him because he hadn't got the O-level so he started doing a couple of other subjects before leaving at the end of the lower sixth and getting a crap clerical job with the council where he stayed for over 20 years. His school experience seemed to really knock the stuffing out of him.

I have no doubt that if he'd done the A-level without our influence he'd have done really well and possibly went to art school or because a professional artist.

I'm still mates with him now and he works for a charity now. He's done some exhibition stuff for them and I always look forward to his self-designed birthday and Christmas cards. But I still can't help feeling a bit guilty that he wasn't able to use his talent more. I'm only a third responsible for it though.

As for changing my life I'm still hoping to someday remeet the cunt who fell down some stairs, landed on top of me then fucked off without a by your leave. Preferably in court.

[Nowhere Man]

I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die.

[wooders1978]

My mum became a mother when I was born
To be fair she already was one due to my brother being born already so I'll have to say "no"

[boki]

I starved a man in Rugby, just to watch him diet.

[Ray Travez]

I encouraged and taught a mate of mine to start playing the guitar. Just a small thing, but it makes a difference*




*...and that young man grew up to be none other than The Edge from U2!**




**no he didn't

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

Although I wasn't there when my best friend met his future wife, I like to think that, if it weren't for me hanging around and being offputting in the years before, he might have met and married someone else entirely.

[Cuellar]

A friend told me that she'd run into someone I was in primary school with, who'd gone of the rails a bit after that and was a mess, but had always remembered something that happened in primary school and it inspired her to turn her life around. Apparently my mum (who occasionally came in to help teach like primary school maths or some shit) had taken her aside and said kind things and inspired her, and she remembered this and ended up going to Oxford or some shit and doing really fucking well.

So, my own mum there, changing the course of someone else's life. Thanks mum.

In short no, I've not changed the course of anyone's life. Why don't they all just fuck off?

[batwings]

I once pushed Gwyneth Paltrow down an escalator on the Underground.

[Small Man Big Horse]

Although I wasn't there when my best friend met his future wife, I like to think that, if it weren't for me hanging around and being offputting in the years before, he might have met and married someone else entirely.

Two of my closest friends who got married have told me that they definitely wouldn't have met each other if it wasn't for me, she was an alcohol swilling party loving girl and he a nerdy sci-fi fan who drinks about twice a year, and if I hadn't of introduced them to each other there's no way they'd have ever spoken to each other, or had the two children they now have. Some days the guilt is overwhelming.

I've had two people change the course of my life - the first was at my college induction day when I wanted to study History, Business Studies and IT but it wasn't possible due to a timetable clash and a guy there suggested I do English instead. I wasn't really up for it as I hadn't enjoyed it at GCSE, despite getting an A in the subject the teacher was all a bit of a nightmare, but I couldn't think of anything else to do so went along with it. My A-Level English teacher was amazing though and gave me a real passion for the subject, I went on to study it at University, and now 20 years on I teach it as a foreign language to Chinese students. Though on the flipside if I had done IT I might be fucking rich like a good friend is who did do that course, so I guess it's swings and roundabouts.

Also, the aforementioned married couple are responsible for breaking my leg (or it happened at their house, at least, and due to them not storing a discarded glass shower door properly) and my life would be completely different if it hadn't happened. They don't feel guilty at all though, the bastards.

[thenoise]

Talked a friend out of suicide a few times. He's now much richer and more successful than me, so naturally doesn't speak to me any more. Fuck you.

[holyzombiejesus]

When I was little I brought some marker pens to school. The lad who sat near me was good as gold but I encouraged him to join me in drawing cartoons of 'boobs' on the underside of the desk lids when the teacher wasn't looking. He took to it with great aplomb and we had soon graduated to drawing cocks on toilet walls, even adding a crude sketch of Mrs Powell with an extra large bottom to the shed outside the PE Hall. He left school shortly after and I've not heard from his for years.

His name? Banksy.

[Sebastian Cobb]

My mum became a mother when I was born
To be fair she already was one due to my brother being born already so I'll have to say "no"

I knackered my mum's innards on the way out, ruling out any chances of a future sibling usurping me.

[Cerys]

I'll get back to you if the friend in question actually does what I suggested.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

I held a door open for a woman once

I won't divulge what happened next other than to say: EVER HEARD OF JOHN WAYNE??

[rasta-spouse]

I pulled a drunk out of a bush once, he was really stuck in there to the point of being horizontal.

[justnoise]

I vastly improved the life of a girl, by encouraging her to go to university and supporting her all the way through, when nobody else would.  It was her achievement, but would have been much more difficult without my emotional, financial and moral support.
This gave her much more employment possibilities, relative wealth and a great sense of purpose.
I also took her on holidays around the world, mostly paid for by me.  I didn't mind though, it seemed worth it.  Did my best to make her happy.  I think i did a good job of it too.

She thanked me by cheating on me with a homeless man and stealing as much of my money as possible (after ten years).
Bitches.

[Jockice]

I vastly improved the life of a girl, by encouraging her to go to university and supporting her all the way through, when nobody else would.  It was her achievement, but would have been much more difficult without my emotional, financial and moral support.
This gave her much more employment possibilities, relative wealth and a great sense of purpose.
I also took her on holidays around the world, mostly paid for by me.  I didn't mind though, it seemed worth it.  Did my best to make her happy.  I think i did a good job of it too.

She thanked me by cheating on me with a homeless man and stealing as much of my money as possible (after ten years).
Bitches.

Phil Oakey decides original draft of Don't You Want Me needs a rewrite.

[TrenterPercenter]

I've done this loads but then I was paid to do so I don't think that would count although I did nearly always go "above and beyond" what my remit was when working for clients.   I remember one particularly really ill man who I was working with to get him back on his feet was once given some financial assistance in the form of a cheque from our unit.  Of course it was signed off late with about 20 minutes left to cash it on a Friday afternoon, all explained and delivered to him in the usual computer says no manner.  I knew he'd basically be starving and cold with no money over the weekend and I wasn't having any of it so I grabbed the cheque off him and ran about a mile and half to the nearest bank to get it cashed and then ran back and gave it to him.  Really made the difference to him having someone give a shit about him for a change it seemed and he went and wrote a letter to the CEO about it all (that i only found out about later).

Not the most sophisticated of interventions I've been involved in but effective.

Happy epilogue - this guy now works in a pretty respectable position in the local council now and is last I heard doing really well.

[Shit Good Nose]

I know for a fact that one of my closest friends landed two successive jobs based solely on my reference (as she was down to a final level-pegging two or three in both cases).  I can't claim that it changed the course of her life, and I'm sure she would have got different jobs elsewhere without my reference, but it's the closest I've ever got.