HIT BY ICE CREAM

Penny For Your Thoughts By: Nancy Whitaker

In the 70 s Randy Newman had a hit song called “Short People.”  I did not care for the song at all but I guess it was a hit anyways. 

I have been called names like Short Stuff, Little Bit, Shrimp, Pee Wee and a lot more. Why? Because I have always been short.  Right now I measure 4’8” and I think I have reached my full height.

I am not a fan of being short but have always managed some how. Reaching cupboards, shelves hanging a high picture is always a challenge.  

In grade school I was always the littlest and at recess was the last one to be chosen for a game like Red Rover, playing tag cause my legs are short and I could not run very fast. 

I always looked at those tall girls and wished I was as tall as them. One big problem is me trying to buy clothes.  Dresses and pants are too long and I have to go to petite sizes.  I can fit into a little girls size but most times they are designed for kids and not little old ladies.

In addition to being short, I can’t find any small shoes to fit me.  Lots of places don’t carry Size 5 so I either get a kids sized shoe or  go for a 6 which slide all over my feet.  

I just bought a pair of tennis shoes and they were sort of nice looking, but they were a 6. I tried them on and walked around a bit and thought, “These don’t feel too bad.”  When I got home and tried to wear the new shoes, they slid up and down on my heel. 

They were also starting to cause a blister and I did not want to deal with one of those.  So looking online I found some heel shaped sticker pads that you stick in your shoes and  they worked!

One time wanting a pair of gold heels I found some on EBay. To my surprise the description said they only cost a Penny. I thought wow I will buy these, they are pretty and my size and I could spare a Penny.  

What surprised me was when I went to check out they charged me $25 for shipping. But oh those shoes were exactly what I wanted so I paid shipping costs.

At that time I was working for another publication and I started strutting around in those gold high heels.  Actually they hurt my feet and walking was a problem.

I proudly showed my co workers and said  “ Look at my

shoes that I got for a penny. One gal said “be careful you are gonna fall down in those heels.  I can’t believe you got them for a penny”

I replied, “Well the shipping was $25”  Those shoes were not comfortable and I could hardly walk in them. But hey! They only cost a penny”

I still have those one cent shoes and tried to put them on the other day. I found out I still could not walk in them, and oh, I only wasted one cent.   (and the shipping was only ? $25.) 

Being short can be difficult when grocery shopping. One evening I was shopping and was in the ice cream department.  I wanted a certain kind of ice cream and it was on the top shelf of that freezer,

No clerk or anyone was around so I decided to climb up the metal rings of the freezer. It was cold but I had to get that ice cream cause there was only one left. I did fairly good climbing up the freezer until I got to the middle and ker plunk something hit me on the head and I mean I saw stars.

It was a big gallon of ice cream and I was more embarrassed than hurt.  I left the ice cream area and did not get my ice cream.  

Another time I was going to make a pot of chili and wanted black beans to put in it.  Oops. Top shelf. I had just started a climb when a nice looking guy who worked there  came up to me and said “Hey little one do you need help?” 

“Oh yes I do.  I want a couple cans of those black beans on the top shelf.”  The clerk had no trouble getting the beans down.  Then I said “oh sir I am so sorry I wanted the red beans on the second shelf”

Well he was pretty nice and  all he did was sigh and say “oh women”

God made us all different. Tall folks, short people, fat people and skinny people. But whatever we are God created us and he doesn’t make mistakes.  

Are you short or tall? Have you ever been called nick names? Have you ever climbed up a freezer in the store and got hit in the head by ice cream?

Let me know and I will give you a Penny For Your Thoughts.