Self Image
Today, I noticed a couple on the street staring intently at me and muttering to each other. There was no one else around so it must’ve been me.
After staring a little, they took a step back to get a fuller look. They didn’t seem unfriendly though; they looked genuinely…intrigued, for lack of better word.
But I got self conscious, and started wondering what was wrong with what I had on. Do these jeans not match my shoes? Is my shirt unflattering?
But I know many for whom that wouldn’t be the first thought.
If something like that happened to you, would you think, “Oh I must be fecking awesome,” or would you run a quick check for undone zippers, ink splatters and torn garments (and subsequently assume, after finding nothing wrong, that it must be your huge arse that they were talking about)?
I bet they were arguing “Korean, Japanese or Singaporean?” :)
The last time something similar happened to me was at Sim Lim Square. I was standing at the front of the full lift, when the door opened and this guy took one look and went “Oh my Gwad!”. After the lift door closed, I remarked out loud “Boy, am I that ugly?”
So that’s my answer; first thing that came to min was “am I that freaking ugly?” The fly grab would come after.
I would go “Oh I must be fecking awesome”. Honest. Really. I would smile to that just in case they take out their cameras to snap a picture.
After which I will go to the toilet to make sure that it wasn’t any unzipped trousers that caught their attention. In other words, it is to reassure my self confidence.
:D
When that happens to me in Singapore, it usually means “why does that asian girl not look singaporean, she sticks out like a store thumb”
to which i respond
“NA BEI CHEE BAI KWA SIMI KWA”
U should try being my height sometime, Vic. Staring? Doesn’t even count.
If they want to take my picture, I charge them money. Seriously. Someone treats me like a tourist attraction, they pay.
If they sneak up next to me to show their friends that, yes, truly, I am taller than they are (oh the mirth. the merriment.), I might just pick them up and carry them along as an accessory. Depends on the situation. Some people just can’t exist without attention.
s
maybe cos u are so fair in sunny singapore?
my guess is, cos u are so preeeeeeeeeeeeeeettty
i can symphatize with stefan… same thing happens to me constantly, even overseas. if i get another reference to yao ming i’m gonna kick someone where it hurts and their mom won’t kiss it better…
w/e
@lennyboy: sounds like the distance btwn yr toes and nose is somewhat more than average…it’s impossible to know what it’s like unless, well, like me, yr 6′8″ (199 cm). i’m an ang mo so i don’t get the Yao Ming stuff, but i get ALLLLL the rest of it.
lately i’m just straight up, i say i’m a geek and have no interest in sports. but that assumes English fluency, which isn’t always the case. if fluency is assured, sometimes i do this:
DINGBAT STRANGER: (hyperventilating) like ohmigawd yr sooo tall, how tall are u, must be eighteen feet, u must play basketball, omigawd omigawd, yr sooooooOOOOOOOO tall!
ME: Any suggestions?
this tend to stop ‘em cold. i then ask them if they think double-amputation would be a good plan.
it’s really idiotic. do these same ppl go up to short folks and howl: omigawd, yr so SHORT! u must play miniature golf!!
no. they do not.
s