Looking in Mirrors on Tiptoes
In order to see this content you need to have both enabled and installed. Visit for full instructions
"Every mirror in my flat cuts me off at the nose." Lynne discusses some of the pros and cons of being short in stature.
Transcript
"Every mirror in my flat cuts me off at the nose and if I want to see my teeth as I brush them, I have to stand on tiptoes.
Being short has good points and bad: OK, so sometimes I forget what my mouth looks like, but for a woman that works in an office and has no relationship what-so-ever with the gym, I don't half have impressive calf muscles! I can stand up in a plane without banging my head on the overhead locker, but I always need help putting my bag in the bin. Legroom is never an issue, but reaching the pedals can sometimes be and more often than not, I drive with the sun in my eyes because sun visors are useless. The third car I bought was a saloon with a beefy, grunty, powerful engine and I loved it. I was outraged when people's first reaction wasn't "wow" or "she's a beauty" or "what a beast!" and was, instead, "but that's a big car!".
I'm a half-pint, a munchkin, a pixie, a smudgeley (but never, on pain of death, a midget or a gnome or a poison dwarf, or stumpy - althoooooough, when I think about how terrible I was at thirteen, poison dwarf was a fair comment).
If there was a pill or a potion to make me taller, would I take it? It would be tempting, I admit. I wouldn't miss my shoulder being used as an arm rest and I doubt that I'd miss being picked up or being treated like a doll by my lengthier, younger sister ...
... and I definitely wouldn't hanker after the time when I was 23 and I got chased through Disneyland Paris by a man in an elf costume, waving a height stick and screaming at me in French. How embarrassing!
I would miss the little perks, though, if I'm completely honest. I can get to the front of a mosh pit in a heartbeat (I mean, what big sweaty mosher is going to object to little old me slipping past?) and I can't remember the last time I carried my own shopping basket in company.
I'm short, I never said I was sweet."
An interview with the author
Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
I'm a 29-year-old female, aspiring children's book author. I live with my boyfriend Matt. I'm very close to my sister, Mam and Dad (and dog!) and still go to Mam's every Sunday for dinner! I love movies, reading, writing and would love to learn to tap-dance and play piano.
What's your story about?
Being short. I chose to share this story as it's been with me since birth! Also, I wanted to educate the non-vertically-challenged.
What did you find most rewarding about the workshop?
The Story Circle - for purely selfish reasons! The whole workshop was fab and I enjoyed every session. Adult learning rules, OK!
Your comments
"From one vertically challanged woman to another I have to say that I can relate with everything said. When your car shopping has to be categorized first by sorting the cars which pedals you can reach from the cars whose pedals your legs cannot reach you know you are at unfair disadvantage in life. The only thing the author forgot to mention was how cruel pant shopping can be."
Jenn Kranenburg, Chatham Canada.
