Love Hurts

Matty Struski Moth StorySlam "Love Hurts" 2-7-23

Watch the video and tick the phrase that you hear the speaker say:

1. a. When I was in high school, I desperately wanted to be in a romantic relationship

b. During high school, I really wanted to be in a romantic relationship

2. a. … and if I'm being honest, I felt like I wasn't worthy of being loved.
b. … and if I'm honest with you, I felt like I wasn't worthy of being loved.

3. a. And I really hoped things would change when I went away to college
b. And I truly hoped things would change when I started college

4. a. And the first night Mark and I were down in the dining Commons and this girl that he knew from
the semester before named Tara came over to say hi
b. And the night before class started Mark and I were down in the dining Commons and this girl that
he knew from the semester before named Tara came over to say hi

5. a. but I did not do that I played it cool

b. but I did not do that I pretended to be cool

6. a. and I just said “yeah I'm sure I'll see you again real soon” and so she left and the next day,
b. and I just said “yeah I'm sure I'll see you again real soon” and so she left and the following day,

7. a. We were both really excited to see each other and it just so happened that she lived on the 18th
floor
b. We were both really excited to see each other and turns out she lived on the 18th floor

8. a. And then I remembered the conversation we had the day before

b. And then I flashed back to the conversation we had the day before
9. a. And so, as a 51 year old grown person I realized that I could have just called her
b. And so, as the middle aged man that I am now I realized that I could have just called her

10. a. Instead, 18 year old zero confidence version of myself went into a self-destructive neurotic um
thought destruction process
b. Instead, the insecure teenage version of myself went into a self-destructive neurotic um
thought destruction process

11. a. ...and so I hoped that it would just work itself out organically
b. and so I had hoped that it would just work itself out organically

12. a. What happened was that I kept bumping into her around campus
b. What did happen is I kept bumping into her around campus

13. a. and every time she did it I could feel myself just shrink a little bit inside
b. and every time she did it I could feel myself just die a little bit inside

14. a. This went on until I finally I bumped into her on the elevator
b. This continued until I finally I bumped into her on the elevator

15. a. and I was just like “this is a nightmare I have to stop living like this”
b. and I was just like “this is a nightmare I cannot keep living like this”

16. a. I really struggled with it because I felt like it was going to be like high school all over again
b. I really suffered because I felt like it was going to be like high school all over again

17. a. But some time went by and I started to think about it

b. But after some time I started to think about it

18. a. and that was the final step in a very long journey that led me to believe that I was worthy of
being loved and in the end that journey led me to my wife.
b. and that was the first step in a very long journey that led me to believe that I was worthy of
being loved and eventually that journey led me to my wife.

19. a. And when I met Valerie we talked for about 10 or 15 minutes

b. And when I first met Valerie we talked for about 10 or 15 minutes
Script Analysis
1. The speaker uses the phrases in bold in order to:
a. Organize & connect the events in his talk
b. Create credibility & empathy between speaker and audience
c. Convince the audience that this story is true & verifiable

2. The speaker uses the underlined phrases in order to:

a. Organize & connect the events in his talk
b. Create credibility & empathy between speaker and audience
c. Convince the audience that this story is true & verifiable

3. What tense does the speaker use to set the scene?

Stages of a Story

When you tell people an anecdote, it is useful to think of its ‘stages’.

Match the stages on the left with what the speaker says at each stage on the right.

1. introduction __3__ Tell the main events in order.

2. beginning __2__ Explain how the story started.

3. story __5__ Make a final comment about the story.

4. the end __1__ Give the background to the story – explain why people will find it
funny or interesting.

5. moral __4__ Tell the listener what happened or how things are now.