There was an amazingly tall man on the tube today. He was so tall, that standing in the middle of the carriage he had to stoop to prevent banging his head on the roof. He must have been 7’6” at least.
Life must be extremely difficult if you are an extreme physical size, whether that is too tall, short, thin or fat. Clothes must be difficult to come by, if you’re over 6’3” you are too long for a standard bed and so must have to sleep curled up all the time, if you’re too fat and heavy you cannot walk properly nor can you fit into standard seating on trains, planes, in waiting rooms or even at home, and if you are too small things like counters and tables will be too high for you to comfortably sit or stand at them to work, cook, eat or anything else.
Of course we can do nothing about our height, and for some poor individuals they can do nothing about their weight as they have a hormonal imbalance of some sort. Fatties who are that way through overindulgence or just eating the wrong food deserve no sympathy.
Now don’t worry, this is not another blog ranting about being overweight and trying to diet. But seeing this guy today has made me think that although I might be a bit heavier than I would like, I am actually pretty lucky to be a relatively normal size, height and shape and how much easier than others my life is as a result.
The government and the NHS spend a lot of time and money lecturing us about our ‘five a day’, smoking and generally doing more exercise and having a healthier lifestyle (ironically, as I write this, I am eating a McDonalds sausage and egg McMuffin with a hash brown, but I did have a coffee and not a sugary coke to accompany it). Perhaps instead they should show us pictures of the clinically obese or anorexic and list the ailments these people have now and have a high likelihood of experiencing in the future. Yes, that sort of thing is already on the telly (usually Channel Four with a snappy title like “Britain’s Fattest Woman” or “Freaky Fat Kids”[OK, I made that one up, but it sounds like fun!]) but it is presented as a sort of modern day circus freak show, and we are led to believe that these people are unusual or unique and clearly they have decided to capitalise on their unhealthiness by getting a bit of telly money before they prematurely pop their clogs.
But the sad thing is they are not unusual. You only have to look around you when you go shopping to see how many of us are overweight and unfit. A few weeks ago, I was having a coffee in Costa in Redhill, watching the world go by through the window. Suddenly, a very fat woman in a wheelchair was pushed past by her son. She was coughing dreadfully, smoking a cigarette and upbraiding him in a loud voice about getting to a nearly shop more quickly. After a short distance, she lost patience and got up out of the chair and walked the rest, waddling along on fat ankles which spilled over the top of her shoes. Her thighs were so fat she could not walk properly. She went into the bakers (otherwise known as the pie shop)! Clearly she was not disabled, just grossly overweight and making her health worse by ‘fagging it large’, as our kids would say. I know this will be controversial, but I believe that these people should be denied healthcare (unless they have cancer - and even then it is debateable if it has been caused by a lifestyle choice) and forced to lose weight.
So overall I feel pretty lucky to have OK health (problems with ruptured disk and dodgy knees aside). I do my best with my diet and try to eat fruit and veg each day although not as much as I should. I get a moderate amount of exercise, but not enough. As you know, I am trying to do better. I am lucky enough to be exactly average height for a woman in the 21st century (5’5” if you’re interested) and be well nourished. I can fit into my seat on the train and on the plane, and the sofa at home doesn’t sag when I sit down.
So I’m doing OK. Let’s hope I am rewarded with a long life – fingers crossed! (By the way, I am assuming you share my sentiment there about my long life. If you don’t, I don’t want to know!).
Well, I'm just a short arse, and there ain't nuffin' i can do about it. In fact, as a female, apart from not being able to reach the top shelf in the supermarket and having to ask a tall man to get it for me, it's actually been a bonus!When i was at school all the boys loved me, I was such a novelty being such a little pipsqueak. They used to pick me up and swing me round and call me half pint! I really do not mind being little. I can get shoes in the sale, there are often 4's and sometimes I can squeeze into a 3 and a half. I do have to take up trousers sometimes that is a pain, but generally getting clothing to fit is ok and sometimes i can fit into teens clothes, therefore not having to pay tax!
ReplyDeleteIt's been the same for Lottie too, she's just always been so cute, like a little doll! For the boys , well not so good.You see we just don't really grow in this family and both the boys had growth hormone, Sam went on it a bit late and is still a shorty, but my reckoning is better to be small and a genius rather than normal height with no brains. joe has done brilliantly and is now taller than his dad (not saying much I know) but an achievement in the Davies household.However if we lived in Wales, we wouldn't be thought of as small at all! They're all shrimps there (well apart from the massive rugby players but then they are generally chunky and beefy, not necessarily tall). Similarly in S.E. Asia, we would be pretty much average height. So it's all an illusion, if you went to live there, everyone would think you were a freak and consider you enormous!
All relative!