I'm 6'5". It's not freakishly tall, but it's above average. I'm the tallest kid I know out of my circle of friends. I've always been the tallest kid, since probably 2nd grade. When I meet new people, I can tell you the typical conversation:
"How tall are you? Like 6'3"?"
"6'5"
"Wow!!! Are you good at basketball?????" (or, can you dunk a basketball????)
"No."
"Why not???"
"I'm white."
It happens every time. Without fail. I'm not sure where everyone connects basketball with height. Does every tall kid but me play basketball?
Everyone wants to be tall. They think they aren't tall enough. I'm here to tell you, I'm too tall. People don't realize how different things are when you're tall. Here's a laundry list of things that make me "too tall":
-When my parents were buying a car, I had to sit in all of the seats to make sure "I fit" - I was 15.
-Traveling on a plane, train, or bus? It's brutal. If I don't get an aisle seat, my knees will hurt the rest of the day.
-When going up/down a flight of steps, in my house (or more recently in going downstairs in some subway tunnels), if I don't duck, I'm bumped. In a similar vein, on the subway, when I'm sitting down, if I don't angle my way out, bump. And getting onto the subway? Duck.
-My feet hang over my bed if I don't sleep in the fetal position. The dorm room twin extra long could barely contain me.
-When in a place with loud music (concert/bar/club/hell) good luck if I can hear anybody. It's usually me continually bending over and screaming WHAT because I'm "too far" away. Makes me look like a deaf jackass when I'm meeting new people or trying to talk to somebody.
-As a follow up to that, I've been asked to move or sit down or get out of the way of other people because I'm blocking their view - even in stadium seating at a sporting arena. They were standing too.............................Needless to say I didn't sit down. It's a concert. Rock out.
-It's impossible to blend in. Not that I'm ever really "trying" to, but I typically stick out like a sore thumb. Especially in pictures. Especially in pictures with my short friends. It just looks stupid. Or playing Hide-And-Seek as a kid? I always lost first.
-When I got my own set of golf clubs (age 16) we had to get them extended so I could swing "normally". I went golfing this weekend without them, it was a terrible scene.
-My boss said I look like Sasquatch or Bigfoot. No seriously.
-I'm borderline to having to start buying the "tall" clothes, which are only available online or at "big and tall" stores.
-The fun "joke" at family gatherings is that I was stretched as a child. Ha. Ha...............Ha.
This list makes me sound like I hate being tall. I don't hate it, I just think people don't realize that it's not as glamorous as it seems. It gets frustrating. I'm sure short people have the same problem. People feel more sympathetic to them than to tall people. The funny thing is that most of the stereotypes/jokes aren't true. I don't play basketball. Girls don't seem to like tall guys (note: you can still prove me wrong, but so far "tall dark and handsome" is a lie, or maybe I need more than 1 out of the 3, I'll go tanning tomorrow, rambling,), the "weather" isn't any different "up here" then "down where you are", and no, I don't mind grabbing something you can't reach, just say thank you. Man, I sound like a jerk. I promise I'm not?
I was talking about this with my boss today - the ideal height. I think it's 6'2". Above average, but not life-changing. A nice middle ground between the two. You don't get what you want, so you just have to deal with what you got. I've gotten over it. I live with it everyday. No big deal.
Now if you'll excuse me I've got to get back on the court and practice my basketball dunks.
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