I've Been Called Tall

I have bad posture and am a fidget; as a result my muscles have gone their own ways over the years. I'm constantly aware that my shoulders are trying to sneak forward into a slouch, I rarely sit up straight for a long time, and my knees often pop painfully out of joint unless I keep moving them (Or rest when I’ve been moving them for awhile)…the physio called it movie-goers knee, it has become much worse as I spend my work-days sitting.

At school I was the tallest in my peer-group earlier on, in later years I had a few friends who shot past me to 6ft 3" and above...and they definitely stood out (At the time). I'm pretty sure that half the reason I slouch is because of my insecurity standing out when walking with shorter friends, adjusting my posture to seem shorter. That was years ago but the mind-set is still there and hard to shake.

And then sometimes I’m happy to be tall, push my shoulders back and walk with great long strides past the shorter-legged pedestrians on my way to the bus-stop, gracefully navigating the crowd, trying to subtly alter the flow to allow me to jump a few paces ahead…that’s the only place it defiantly comes in handy…other then the supposed pay difference, Tall people earn more according to one study, although I’ve yet to see it. I’m just happy to walk with long legged efficiency.  

My flatmate is 5ft 6”, He is always noting the short celebrities and pointing out how dorky the tall ones look (and tall celebrities are rarer because of framing)…he goes on about medical ailments that tall-people are apparently more susceptible to (through his observations). Like tall people get back-pain, have circulatory problems and what else…I’m trying to remember…ah, one was that tall people are more susceptible to accidents. Some of these things seem intuitively right, but I’m not going to concern myself with my height, after all I cannot change it.

I’ve been called tall, so I will say I am tall.