“For the first six months, do nothing.” That was the advice that Quintin Mecke got as a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger, West Africa in the early 1990s. This is the story of how his not heeding that advice landed him an invitation to the annual regional gathering of witch doctors, staring into a fire with the Chief and contemplating the true meaning of perfect timing. It comes from our March 2013 show, Perfect Timing, at Actual Cafe in Oakland, CA.

About the storyteller
Originally from Philadelphia, Quintin Mecke has found his true home in San Francisco.  He honed his storytelling skills working in local and state politics in a career that included trying to legalize marijuana in California and finishing as the runner-up to Gavin Newsom in the 2007 Mayor’s race.  Quintin believes that the willingness to share a story is equally important as the skills at telling it.

Quintin can also be heard on Podcast #21: Sleepwalk To Me

032413_actualcafe_quintin (mp3)

Homepage photo courtesy of will g photography via Flickr Creative Commons