The Odd One..

I have been called this by some not so friendly people on more than one occasion. Whether it was in primary school where I was the only Sri Lankan (and there weren't any Indians to confuse me with). Or when I was the only Sri Lankan that had a below 75% average in high school. Isn't it funny though, how so many people conform to the "norm" just so they don't get picked on. Like I've said before, I practically changed the way I behaved so that people would stop calling me a nigel. But in the midst of changing my own personality, I grew into someone I liked to be. 

One of my colleagues has always baffled me on how much trouble she got into when she was younger. One thing though I always noticed was how she and her friends were never the ordinary bunch. Given that pretty much all of her friends were guys, fights and general boozing up is a common factor amongst these episodes. One of the events she told me about was nothing special but maybe considered odd. However I found it amusing. It was when she and her friends went to play Bingo. As you may or may not know, Bingo is generally a game played amongst the elderly so while they were quite nonchalant to winning a game, my colleague and her associates found it quite exciting to be winning Bingo. I asked her why they went and she simply replied that it was fun. Picking an item you want when you win and if you win, squealing at the top of your lungs! If you don't, choose another. The general atmosphere was simple but still fun. The part I found it quite amusing was when she described an occasion where the rules had changed and an elderly gentleman next to her told her she won Bingo.

 

Another girl that I went to school with had an acute obsession with Garfield. Now I say acute because you literally walked into her room and from the rug on the floor to the bedspread to the curtains, EVERYTHING was Garfield. She was smart, quick-witted, funny and got a long with most people but it was this obsession that defined her. I know some people believe that everyone has a phase when they are kids but I have heard from this girl since and that's not the case. I remember one time that I had given her a stuffed Garfield doll for a present that my mum had bought from the markets. She smiled when she got it but she left it my place since she was over for lunch. Initially I thought it was accidentally but when she kept doing it, I got the picture. Turned out she couldn't tell me to my face that it wasn't a "proper" Garfield toy. It wasn't coloured right...? I actually had to find this out from a common friend and since then avoided Garfield as a present for her. The common friend questioned why I was still friends considering her behaviour but I guess I found that just to one odd thing out of so many good ones. Needless to say I kept "oddball" Garfield to myself.

But is it really all that bad being "odd"? A few people I know have commented on how bullying in schools are at all time high. The general perception is if you dont do what everyone else does, you are not cool enough. Stepping away from school, the workplace is much the same. Although people are targeted in a much discreet manner. As long as the work got done, everyone is fine. Its hard to find a balance , I guess but one thing II know is that as cliched as the phrase itself is, no-one is perfect and those who care about you will not expect you to be. They may expect more from you than you think you can do. But I tend to find, my family/friends only push me because they know I can do better.


"Pagalodhum Vinmeengal Hoi, Parkindra Kan Vendum Hoi
Kannavodu Khaargalam Hoi, Nannaigindra Sugam Vendum Hoi"