On one episode of Restaurant: Impossible (great show), Robert Irvine encountered, in his words, the worst eatery he’d ever seen.

I don’t recall all the details, but here are a few main points:

— There were fire hazards all over the place

— The back outdoor area was piled up with junk

— The front dining area was completely grimy

— Spoiled food was lying about

— They found several dead mice on the kitchen floor

You get the picture.

So what did Mr. Irvine do? If you guessed “turn that motherfucker around,” you win a kewpie doll.

He scrubbed and updated and renovated (as is his wont) and cleaned up the back area for DJ/dancing. There was a long line on opening night.

The episode’s postscript said they called the restaurant a few months later to see how they were going, and were told “everything’s great.” When the show sent a camera crew, however, there was a “closed” sign out front and junk piled up in the back area again.

My point is…some people don’t seem to learn.

I guess I just don’t get it. You choose to make your way in life, you’re a complete fuck-up at it, someone shows you how to do it correctly, and you just completely ignore their advice and carry on as a fuck-up?

In my first major paper I wrote as a college freshman, I used “it’s” instead of “its” (I wasn’t an English major yet). I got it back with all my mistakes circled and the message: “Learn its/it’s difference.” I never made that mistake again.

There have been many instances in my life where I’ve said, “yep, this is the way to go.” Someone at least as smart as me has said, “ummm…you might wanna rethink that.” Nine times out of ten, they’ve been right.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Learn from your mistakes, and if a wise person gives you good advice, take it. The world already has too many headstrong misguided fuck-ups.