Fools rush in

Quote from: RED-DOG on March 10, 2006, 04:57:04 PM

The human mind is designed to try to make sense of any situation, to interpret the information available by comparing it to previous knowledge and experience, to rationalise.

This is a great system, and it works well for most of the time. However, these very facts make us all susceptible to deception

I have always had a keen interest in confidence tricksters, I’ve read a lot on the subject, and have been amazed at the outrageous stories people will swallow

Confidence tricksters have sold the Eiffel Tower for scrap

Pushed ATM machines laden with cash out of banks in broad daylight, assisted by bank staff

Spent their entire working lives occupying positions as senior consultants in hospitals without a shred of medical knowledge

Virginia Woolf and a group of friends once disguised themselves as the Emperor of Abyssinia and his entourage, they had no appointment and the only language they spoke was “Bunga bubnga” i.e., gobbledegook made up on the spot, they were given a full VIP tour of the British warship, the H.M.S. Dreadnought, and the British navy received them in full colours, pandering to their every whim

The more bizarre the situation, the more inclined we are to accept it, because we don’t have a better explanation. Once the bait is swallowed, we just go on believing, no matter how incredible the story becomes

You may be wondering where all this is leading, the truth is, I have made a monumental balls up and I am just trying to save a little face

When Brian Wilson joined the forum several months ago, someone made a reference to the Beach Boys, tikay told us of Brian’s friendship with El Blondie and other notables, we heard stories of his newly found interest in poker and of his exploits in big games in exotic locations

I thought it was “THE” Brian Wilson

Once I had accepted this fact, nothing ever made me question it; on the contrary I chose to focus on the things that seemed to confirm it

He’s very individual and probably slightly mad

He’s American

He lives on the coast

He seems to have independent means

He seems comfortable among the rich and famous

I even congratulated him once for his charity work, and he thanked me

Now comes the squirmy part

Don't forget, we had just spent several days in Brian's company

Mat Tyler and I, (b4matt) Were sitting in the departure lounge of Vienna airport discussing Brian’s game, and I said it was easy for him to enter so many big buy-in tournaments when he had all those royalties coming in

Matt became totally silent and motionless for a moment, then he gave me a “Is this a wind up” type look and said “What the f*** are you talking about”

The conversation that followed was one of the funniest, and most embarrassing of my life, Matt, convinced by my total sincerity, wondering if it really was "THE" Brian Wilson, and me, finally beginning to entertain the possibility that it was not

It went something like this

Matt: It’s not that Brian Wilson……is it?

Me: Of course it is……isn’t it?

In unison: AAARRRRGGHHH!!!

Matt: It can’t be!

Me: It must be!

This time holding each other’s shoulders, faces inches apart: AAARRRGGHHH!!!

Matt: you do realise that one of us is going to come out of this looking like a complete numpty?

Me: not really, if I’m wrong I’ll just say I was winding you up

Matt: You wouldn’t

Me, with a sigh: No, I wouldn’t, one of us must suffer

We spent the entire flight from Vienna to Amsterdam laughing, screaming at the thought if the impending embarrassment, and trying to work out the truth

Matt put forward the very good argument that our Brian was no where near old enough to be “THE” Brian, I countered with arguments about millionaires, plastic surgery, and the fact that he wouldn’t need to be that old anyway

At one point, Matt was convinced that I was right, and I was convinced that he was right, we even told each other that whatever the outcome, no one need ever know, but we both knew that was untrue

When we arrived in Amsterdam airport we abandoned all thoughts of baggage and connecting flights, and made our way to an Internet café. Like two condemned men, we opened Google and solemnly typed in, “Image, Beach Boys, Brian Wilson”

We held our breath for a moment, then suddenly the screen was filled by a recent picture of “THE” Brian Wilson, of course, he was absolutely nothing like the Brian we know and love

To his great credit, Mat said nothing, in total silence he stood up, and walked off to do some last minute shopping, I was grateful that he had left my burning cheeks and me in peace, but I did notice, as he walked away, he was staggering slightly, and his shoulders were shaking

i just read this for the first time, i will have a reply after I pick myself up off the floor Cool