the advantage of being small

No, I am not talking about that all important thing.....ego. (Ha, ha, ha.)

I am talking about physical stature. Contrary to how I can project my physical presence at times, I am not a big guy. I used to say I was 5'8", yeah, yeah, yeah, not that tall. I am really a short 5"7" or tall 5'6". It depends on how my height is being measured. I have come to terms with reality.

Anyway. When I was in the army, I loved it when those big, huge guys, you know: the ones the size of small towns, would think I was all cute and cuddly like a little teddy bear. No problem. I was fine with it. Still am.

I always told them, if we ever get in the serious shiznit, I want to be right beside you. Their response would be something along the lines of asking me if I expected them the protect me. My response: Nope. You are such a huge target. Any sniper, or even a regular rifleman, out there is going to go for you long before they decide to take a shot at little old me. Then, I can hunker down behind your crumpled corpse and have at it all day.

At that point, their big pie-eating grins would vanish and the ones with more going on upstairs would see my point. Some would laugh and often hammer me on the back in joviality, others would just get very contemplative. Those that did not, would sometimes not talk to me for a while. Oh well.

My point? Great things do not always come in big packages? No. (Yeah, I know, I twisted the saying around.) Big is beautiful? Sometimes. Really? At the end of the day, if you have trouble picking me out of a crowd (or skirmish line), you will probably not notice me too easily and I can go on merry, machine gun way.

Other reasons why not being of overwhelming stature have an advantage? I can go through the bush more easily. I am like a rabbit at times, except maybe when I find myself in the middle of a bog. I can also slip through crowds fairly easily, especially since I have now learnt a few tricks to that effect from some doomsayers.

Also, people of reduced presence are often underestimated. One can easily see advantages to that. Yes, my presence, at times, does not reflect my physicality, but it is not so hard to tone it down when necessary.

It was not so different when I trained regularly in Shotkan Karate. I would often spar or compete against bigger, and even faster, opponents. My Sensei taught me to go in right away and not back down. Guys with more power, speed, and reach would, at times, literally flee from me. They underestimated me. One guy actually ran out of the ring during a competition and toppled over a corner judge trying to get away from me. He was actually better than me, but I beat him by disqualification. (Not exactly like the Klingon "discommendation".) He left the ring several times to penalty.

As an aside, it reminds me of what my best friend said (even though he does not want to be mentioned in my blog, I have to give him credit): "Don't fight old guys, they will just kill you. They don't have time, or the inclination, to fight; they will just kill you." But I digress and this may be more appropriate for another post, more in line with " don't piss off a cornered fat guy" type scenario.

The boy sometimes has concerns about his stature. He is on the less large size for his age. The wife and I remind him about my youth and how I was actually quite a small fellow until I was about 18-19 years old and I sprouted. Fortunately, not like Captain America. The wife too, has presence, but her actual physical stature is less so. 

I remind him about my philosophy about size. Also, do not forget the saying: the bigger they are, the harder they fall. Sayings, as pithy as they may be at times, often have truth. I have a far shorter distance to hit the ground, either on purpose or by struggle. It also means I can recover quicker as I will be on the ground sooner. This is basic physics people. I have to thank my brother too, for practising Judo on me. I learnt to fall properly, quickly, and very well because of his zeal.

If the apocalypse, or "Great Conflagration" as I like to call it, ever comes, me, the wife, and the boy will be that much harder to nail down and hassle. Plus, we are going to stand beside guys built like brick crap houses and amazonian women when it does go down. Hard to see and instant cover. What could be better? blbbl