Did you know that I am short?
I think that most of the people reading this charming little blog have met me in real life and know that I am barely five feet tall. It's always a bit interesting meeting people who have known me only through blogging because they generally seemed a bit surprised by my lack of stature. I try to wear heels to most events, but if I ever have to take them off, I can count on hearing more than one comment about my "petiteness."
Since I have always been short, it is something I am simply accustomed to. It's not at all strange to me that I have to hop onto the counter top to reach anything above the second shelf in my cabinets. When I went to the store with my children in baby carriers, I couldn't put them in the front seat of the basket because I wouldn't have been able to see over it.
I am admittedly not a great housekeeper, and only dust when I see the dust accumulating, like on the end tables and piano. But every now and then when I go about dusting ALL my furniture, I am shocked at how much there is! But I don't SEE all the dust on top of my mantle, or the top of my book case. Out of sight, out of mind. I just forget that it's in everyone ELSE'S sight.
We went a few weeks ago to a small amusement park to drive go-karts with the boys. When I asked how old kids had to be to ride by themselves, the employee simply pointed to a red line on the wall, saying that they had to be that tall.
The line was at my eye level.
I'm used to always looking up to people when I talk to them. I always need to have the seat pulled all the way forward when I drive a car.
But even then, sometimes it's not enough.
Do you remember last week when I mentioned our Explorer breaking? Even then, I had a feeling it may have broken because I am short. That feeling proved to be correct. The mechanic told us, "It's like someone just stepped on the gas pedal at the wrong angle and it popped off. All we did was reconnect it."
That's right. I broke the gas pedal by stepping on it wrong. Because I'm too short. I could only touch the very bottom of the pedal, and that wasn't enough. (To be sure, the fact that it's a 1993 Exploder had something to do with it, but STILL. If my legs were 3 inches longer, it wouldn't have happened.)
For the record, we were charged $40 for the tow and another $5 for labor. Our total was $48.73. We love you, Mc Auto Repair!
So while I'm glad that the repair was relatively inexpensive, I'm still a bit angry that my lack of height is the reason that our car broke.
I find the whole thing embarrassing and amusing, and I am now going to Google medical procedure for lengthening legs.
7 comments:
I don't think I've realized you were that short. Shorter than me, yes, but most women are.
I know all about being vertically challenged. At least you come by it naturally :) My mom and dad are both taller than half their children.
I had no idea you were petite! I think I would be tempted to try for the kids meals, or kids prices at the movies...
Somehow I always pictured you as being petite. That is funny that being vertically challenged cause the pedal to break though! And I know what you mean about out of sight, out of mind when you're cleaning. Sometimes I have to get down on all fours and see what I'm missing at that level.
I'm short, too- just barely 5' myself. I never really thought about it until the other day when I was standing on my daughter's stool and realized how much better the view is for taller folks. They can actually see over the sofa from the kitchen!
It's hilarious that your car broke because you're short. The bill isn't very funny though. And I never even thought about not being able to see over my baby in a shopping cart, even though I'm only a few inches taller than you. Maybe I've been looking around them all these years. I'm going to need to borrow a baby and check.
The post I would write like this would be the exact opposite. I am six feet tall. I see the tops of everyone's heads. I can reach things on the top shelf at Wal-Mart, and I often have people ask me to get something for them. I have no dead space in my kitchen, because I can reach to the back of the tallest cupboard.
I wish I could give you a couple of my inches!
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