5 People That we Secretly Wish we had the Courage to be.
By Adam Hill
There are a lot of things that we see in our everyday lives that we pretend not to notice. There are a lot of things that we label as 'embarrassing' and talk about 'that dickhead' behind their backs while secretly wishing that we were not burdened by the curses of dignity or shame. Let's be honest; life would be a lot more fun without these things.
So, here I am going to make a stand (If one person claims this as ‘ironic’ that I am making the stand online instead of in public I am going to personally send a very sternly written letter to Alanis Morissette who has ruined that word for everybody, or is it ironic that nothing in that song is ironic? Bah, an article for another day… This is not ironic; this is just me wishing that I were not burdened with dignity)
Where was I? Oh yeah, like I said, I am going to make a stand. I am going to write a tribute to those people who are more courageous than you or I will every be:
The Old Guy in the Gym Change Room
We’ve all seen him. That old, wrinkly man who triumphantly struts out of the showers, towel slung over his shoulder as he strides across the change room to the furthest possible locker from the shower block.
He does this, while the average, more athletic looking youngsters do everything that they can to hide their shame, or courteously prevent others from realising their own. Or you know, at least wrap the towel around their waist while crossing the room.
This man has obviously outlived shame; it is nothing but a distant memory that he will discuss with you as he puts on leg up on the bench and discusses ‘the way life used to be’ as you try to advert your eyes.
We like to think Clint Eastwood is one of these guys.
Telemarketers
Woah! Woah! Woah! Calm down... Hear me out for a second… If after a line or so you don’t agree with me then simply move onto the next topic…
Think about it. John and Mary, who are obviously born and bred here in Melbourne, ‘living in my local township of Dandenong’, despite their seemingly thick Indian accent and tenuous grasp on the English language, are some of the bravest people you will ever have the privilege to talk to. (Akin to those, seemingly creepy, guys that stop women in the shopping centre to offer them moisteriser).
These people ambush, I mean, ring (or stop) hundreds of people on a daily basis. Ninety per cent of these encounters will end in rejection, or possibly even verbal abuse.
But these little troopers will continue on and call the next victim, I mean, customer, and hassle them as they try to go about their everyday business only to face the same rejection. Imagine getting rejected constantly, or getting abused constantly while doing your job and think, just for a second, about how hard it would be to keep facing that kind of abuse.
And now that you’ve thought about that, go back to hating them because it's fucking annoying and just once I’d like to eat my freaking dinner in peace!
The guy (on Flinders Street) screaming about the impending apocalypse while all us 'sinners' walk by.
Okay, so one day this guy will be right and I guess we’ll turn around and say, ‘Congratulations’ or something while he is transported to heaven and we are left behind to fight for our souls.
But this guy is brilliant! Not literally of course.
Does he allow the fact that nobody is listening to him deter him? No.
Does he stop at the first sign of rain? No.
Does he allow himself to get angry, or start raving about the fact that ‘we’ll be sorry’? Well, yes. But that’s part of the act.
Keep the date free... Oh, wait...
Maybe, if he showered every now and then or if he stopped acting like a mentally deranged crazy, he’d get that hug. Or maybe if we just allowed him to help us we could all be saved. All I know is that this man is a soldier and no matter how many times he gets shot down, he will stand back up and continue trying, in vain, to deliver his message.
Public Singers.
This is not directed at buskers or people who obviously have talent. This is to the people listening to their iPod who start singing along, oblivious to their surroundings or how many people are staring.
‘Kudos to you, you little tone deaf miracle!’ I wish that I had the guts to sing that badly on a crowded train! But I am obviously too talented for that.
That Guy (or Girl) who Cannot Dance, but Dances Anyway because they think that they're awesome.
Limbs flailing, no rhythm, and they even keep dancing when the music turns off. This guy is a sight to see and just like any train wreck you won’t be able to look away.
They are awesome and they are the only ones who know it. But, who cares? This person is having more fun than you or I could ever dream of.
