Dwarf

Physically, I didn’t measure up to most of the other boys my age. I had a baby face and my body was reluctant to grow so I always looked much younger than I was, which bothered me to no end. My mother who is very short herself would tell me, “your dad is tall and he just shot right up as a teenager so you will too.” I waited and waited. Every year until the age of sixteen, I was among the shortest kids in my class.

I recall putting away the dishes at a very young age. While standing on the counter top, I called Dad to come to me. I measured my head to his and was astonished that we were about the same height. I then looked down at the ground. To my young eyes this looked like a great distance.  

Man, it must be so scary to be this tall, I thought to myself. It’s a wonder Dad doesn’t fall down more often!

At age thirteen I was concerned enough to research the height requirements for dwarfism in the Encyclopedia Britannica. I felt incredible relief when I was too tall to be officially classified as a dwarf.