Gosh! You’re so tall!”, “Hey, Lamboo!” and the perennially embarrassing “How tall are you?”
These are comments I’ve grown up hearing all my life. An adult person, who is of more than average height, may just laugh off these comments. But to someone who’s been hearing them since his childhood, it can be quite, it can be quite irritating.
In fact, I’ve begun to think of these somehow churlish statements as battering my self-esteem. I no longer perceive them as casual compliments at all. I’ve always been the tallest one around and today am a six-foot enigma, plus a few inches more. But so what? Why do I’ve to be reminded of my height every now and then? Are these comments obligatory? It does sometimes seem cold-blooded when somebody calls out, “Hey Lamboo!” Can that morale-killer be ever fixed with a “Hey Chhotoo!” Or with a merry “Hey Giddoo!”? I think not. Apparently, “Hey Chhotoo!” doesn’t have the same punch as a “Hey Lamboo!”
Tall people stand out in the crowd, literally so! And so are easily spotted or looked at. Is that why we invite more comments? Curiously, tall and lanky people are always subjected to some sort of juvenile scrutiny.
Short people do not, presumably, fall victims to such insolent stares. Over the years I have realized that when I’m stared at, such scrutiny could be either plain curiosity; or envy at my height; or even rude critical appraisal.
‘Lamboo’ and ‘Chhotoo’ both have their equal share of advantages and disadvantages. Whether you are tall or short should, therefore, become a non-issue. Accept it as a simple fact of life, characteristics of hereditary genes passed down from one generation to another. Instead of being obsessed with my height, let me be a person of delightful enthusiasm, a likable, lovable person, and not react angrily when people call me Lamboo because that surely dampens my spirit.
In the present age, when short is beautiful and long is passé; small is in and big is out, we tall guys better watch out because, arguably, short guys already rule the roost. Especially when people like ‘short and sweet’ is it time for ‘long and winding’ to bow out? I think not because ‘tall, dark and handsome’ cannot be replaced by ‘short, dark and handsome’. I’m sure at least the ladies agree.
By Arindam Moulick
- Originally published in the Deccan Chronicle as a Pet Peeve column on 26 March 2004.
- This essay has also been published at www.ezinearticles.com. Click on the following web link to read the published article: http://ezinearticles.com/?It-Is-a-Tall-Story!&id=8758784
 |
| Arindam Moulick |
These are comments I’ve grown up hearing all my life. An adult person, who is of more than average height, may just laugh off these comments. But to someone who’s been hearing them since his childhood, it can be quite, it can be quite irritating.
In fact, I’ve begun to think of these somehow churlish statements as battering my self-esteem. I no longer perceive them as casual compliments at all. I’ve always been the tallest one around and today am a six-foot enigma, plus a few inches more. But so what? Why do I’ve to be reminded of my height every now and then? Are these comments obligatory? It does sometimes seem cold-blooded when somebody calls out, “Hey Lamboo!” Can that morale-killer be ever fixed with a “Hey Chhotoo!” Or with a merry “Hey Giddoo!”? I think not. Apparently, “Hey Chhotoo!” doesn’t have the same punch as a “Hey Lamboo!”
Tall people stand out in the crowd, literally so! And so are easily spotted or looked at. Is that why we invite more comments? Curiously, tall and lanky people are always subjected to some sort of juvenile scrutiny.
Short people do not, presumably, fall victims to such insolent stares. Over the years I have realized that when I’m stared at, such scrutiny could be either plain curiosity; or envy at my height; or even rude critical appraisal.
‘Lamboo’ and ‘Chhotoo’ both have their equal share of advantages and disadvantages. Whether you are tall or short should, therefore, become a non-issue. Accept it as a simple fact of life, characteristics of hereditary genes passed down from one generation to another. Instead of being obsessed with my height, let me be a person of delightful enthusiasm, a likable, lovable person, and not react angrily when people call me Lamboo because that surely dampens my spirit.
In the present age, when short is beautiful and long is passé; small is in and big is out, we tall guys better watch out because, arguably, short guys already rule the roost. Especially when people like ‘short and sweet’ is it time for ‘long and winding’ to bow out? I think not because ‘tall, dark and handsome’ cannot be replaced by ‘short, dark and handsome’. I’m sure at least the ladies agree.
By Arindam Moulick
- Originally published in the Deccan Chronicle as a Pet Peeve column on 26 March 2004.
- This essay has also been published at www.ezinearticles.com. Click on the following web link to read the published article: http://ezinearticles.com/?It-Is-a-Tall-Story!&id=8758784