CAUTIONARY TALE
Getting told no—by lovers, bosses, schools—is never fun, but sometimes you have to hit bottom before you realize that becoming who you want to be is all on you after all.
Matteson Perry is the author of Available: A Memoir of Heartbreak, Hookups, Love and Brunch. He is a screenwriter, performer, two-time winner of the Moth GrandSlam storytelling championship, and the host of the monthly Moth StorySlam in Los Angeles. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, McSweeney’s, College Humor, and other publications. His work has been featured on NPR and Funny or Die. A Colorado native, Matteson lives in Los Angeles with his wife.