Slight Case of Insanity

In recent times “Good things come in small packages” and “I’m not short, I’m fun-sized!” have become regular mottos of mine. Munchkin, short-stuff, mini-me, pint-size, vertically challenged, I’ve heard them all. And considering I am only 156cm (or 5’1 for those of you who refuse to use the metric system) it comes as no surprise that jokes are constantly made at my lack of height.

Whilst in my youth this constant jesting made me resent the close proximity of my head to my feet (no, not pertaining to any great levels of flexibility). However, I have since grown to appreciate the benefits that come from being short:

1. I never hit my head. How many times have you stood up from a bus seat and bumped your head? I can proudly answer never! Nor do I normally have to duck to avoid low branches or even shelving in stores. I just slip right on under them and carry on with my day. I don’t have to worry about the height of door frames or ceiling fans. If I knocked my head on anything like that, then everyone else would have to be crawling.

2. I can pass for a much younger version of myself. When I was younger (approximately year 9, same height as at present) my best friend (who is the same height as me) and I would frequent family restaurants, including good old pizza hut, and get in for kids prices. Same deal at theme parks, movies et cetera. People always think I’m younger than I actually am. Which, at my delicate age of 25, is always flattering. When asked to guess my age, the figures usually sit around 21/22. I love you guys!

3. I can comfortably sit crossed-legged pretty much anywhere. Be it at a Japanese restaurant, where you are required to sit on the floor, or other similar restaurants, I can even sit in my computer chair or lecture chair crossed-legged. I am yet to find a chair too small for me to do this in. And, believe me, I am a huge fan of sitting crossed-legged. As well as this, I can curl up quite comfortably on a plane or bus for long trips, or have a snooze in the car. No sore or stiff knees for me!

4. There is always enough leg room in cars/buses/aeroplanes/trains. I never need to move chairs forwards or backwards in the car because my legs are squished (although there is some forward chair movement required if I am driving). I can slouch quite comfortably in bus or train seats, even aeroplane seats pose no threat to my comfort, due to my short legs. As well as this, I can sleep on any couch. Obviously a 3-seater gives optimum room for stretching out, but even on a 2-seater there is only minimal leg bending required, and is still lovely and sleep-able. I am the ideal houseguest.

5. I can duck under umbrellas. You know the ones; those annoying business women in the city who, even after it has stopped raining, insist on walking the busy footpath with their umbrellas still up and poking out the eyes of passers by. Not me though. I can walk straight under them with no damage to my face or eyes at all.

Yes, being short does come with some disadvantages such as never quite being able to reach that illusive box of pasta at the back of the top shelf of the cupboard, restricted viewing at concerts (I have special shoes for this occasion:)

and never being able to find pants short enough to avoid the train of material hanging from my legs. But I’m prepared to deal with those few minor altercations as the benefits definitely outweigh the disadvantages.

Plus, if ever I’m feeling a little lower than I’d like, I just put on my 4.5” platform shoes and step out on the same level as the rest of you!

Tagged as Bus, Car, Concert, Height, Houseguest, Opinions, Platform Shoes, Proud, Short, Transport, Umbrella + Categorized as Me, myself and I, Random Rants