My Signal is NOT a Suggestion!

Large trucks, semis, or 18 wheelers as they are respectively known are an intimidating and awkward presence on the road, particularly on roads smaller than a highway. Their wind can push you to the side of the road; their wake can carry you along; and seeing around them is impossible. And the way that they can communicate without involving the rest of us on the road is, at the least, irritating and unfair.

I had the occasion recently to view a bumper sticker on one of these big trucks which came across as dire warning: My Signal is NOT a Suggestion! I go a little crazy when drivers don't use the signals installed in their vehicles. That is their sole purpose in life -- signaling. Don't deprive them of the only chance they have to do their jobs, to show off even. So upon seeing this driver's sticker, I thought, "Good for you buddy! Tell those non-signaling bastards that they better watch out!" Then, using my signal in the spirit of the driver's clear directive, I switched lanes.

Interestingly, tall people can have some of the same effects on the rest of us as those 18 wheelers. They dominate the rooms they inhabit. Tall-ies can communicate with other Tall-ies without involving the rest of us. They can hit you in the head with their backpacks without really meaning to or knowing that they've given you a concussion. There is one time when tall folks look more like the rest of us: when they are, literally, on the same playing field. Whether it be a football field, basketball court, or hockey rink, they look proportionate to those around them. But anyone who has seen Mario Lemieux in regular clothes walking amongst the average heighted, knows that he's a giant.

Usually, I don't have the opportunity to spend much time around people that are what I consider tall, taller than 6 feet. My family is Italian and is thus more round than tall. My husband is definitely taller than me but at 5'10" he is within the bounds of average height. He does have one exceptionally tall cousin who is around 6'5". And since we only him on extended family occasions he is looked up to as a lovable oddity in the family, a "gentle giant" if you will.

I do have one tall friend. He lives in my hometown and we see him on most visits. This tall friend came into my life via marriage. My very short best friend from childhood married her high school sweetheart (they were even voted "best looking" -- how adorable!), a former basketball player. Jason is at least 6'1" maybe a bit taller. When he hangs out with other friends, who also used to play basketball, he is just like us average height people. But when he steps into my or my parent's home, his height is not unnoticable. On a recent visit to the old stomping grounds, Jason, Michelle, and their "best looking" offspring came over to the folks' house. We're all good enough friends to hug and give a little kiss, and being Italians, we hug and kiss everyone anyway. As Jason stood in the middle of my parents' living room, taking up a lot of space, I went to give him the friendly hug and smooch on the cheek. His tallness, or perhaps my shortness, made the situtation awkard and I hit his neck with the kiss rather than his cheek. I was embarassed and hoping he hadn't noticed. All I could think was, "My signal was NOT a suggestion!"