#9 - THE PRESIDENT
With no calculation on my part, I'm posting today my little President story on President's day! I actually just realized this. I hope you're having a day off and enjoying whatever it is you're doing.
And with no calculation on my part either, I just saw this amazing, bizarre clip on the Rachel Maddow show last night on my phone and decided I HAD to talk about it today.
We often hear that "size don't matter", but apparently for some Presidents, it truly matters, very much!
Watch this clip about President Trump apparently giving himself a couple extra inches on his last Physical.
I have met President Trump as a young 19 year-old in Mar-a-Lago with my parents. I recall him being tall but not shorter than me as Rachel is suggesting in this bit.
My conclusion is he must have shrunk since then and is holding on to his previous 6'3" height from his younger years. But who cares, if the man wants to reminisce and feel taller, let him be.
And he lies on so many facts that his height is the last thing that is bothersome.
But it just shows that height in human beings is indeed a 'thing'.
It has definitely been a 'thing' for me. As my next Podcast guest Jessica Chick puts it, we're "in the business of tall! We know height."
Of course, people with more of a ‘regular’ height have this preconceived idea that tall is beautiful, and it often is, because they perhaps feel they lack a few inches. But very tall can be just as destructive to self-esteem as being heavily overweight, with the added nuisance that there’s actually nothing you can do about height.
Yes, it’s easy to feel like a freak when you’re clearly different, and that all the time, day in day out. Passing comments by strangers, every day in any language in any country.
The other day, I was helping out at my daughter’s school cafeteria during lunch time. Kids from 2nd to 5th grades paraded in a flow of awesome little people.
Not one, not five but seven kids asked me with absolute wonder in their eyes how tall I was and commented about my height. And I’m only 6’1” ½!
After the third ask, I started teasing them saying that I was 6’9” and smiled watching them struggle to believe me or not and thinking how much taller than their dad I was.
It was honestly really cute and I managed to laugh at it all. But I’m a 40 years old grown woman with 3 kids, I don’t give a shit about this anymore. It’s just a small example of the daily experiences that someone who is unusual needs to deal with.
When one the 4th grader girls jumped up to her feet to see how far up my torso she’d stand, it reminded me of the countless times random people in the street or waiting in line for something would come up behind me to stand tall and check out if they’d be taller or not. Of course, most of those people would be men, so imagine how creepy a stiff-standing man behind you would be, waiting for his pal to fact check and give the thumbs up or laugh (or take a picture!).
Cynicism aside, I actually had an endearing moment of just that with none other than President Bill Clinton.
It was during the French Open in Paris a little after the end of his presidency. I was with my parents (again:-) watching Agassi play on center court against the Frenchman Grosjean.
Poor President Clinton had to hear screaming fans shout “Allez Monica!!!” At my young age, I thought it was really tasteless and extremely distracting to us all, no less to the players.
I was lucky enough to sit two rows behind the President in the Tennis Federation’s official Box as my father is a veteran French tennis player and was close to the Federation's then President. During a turn over, I got up to use the restroom in the landing of the presidential box that’s right above the stands. Coming out of the bathroom, I see President Clinton and a few people around him standing there, now doing the same thing as I, waiting for the break again so we could all go back down to our seats. My parents and I were probably the only ones there speaking good English.
After meeting my parents, President Clinton came straight up to me his hand pulled forward to shake hands, his eyes locked into mine like I was the only person in the room. For a reason I can’t remember, I had a 2-3 minutes solo conversation with him. He asked me what I was doing, what were my plans etc, all while we were both watching the tv screens waiting for another break in the game.
And all the while we were chatting, he stood as tall as he could, seemingly checking if his shoulder came at the same level than my shoulder. I remember taking a tiny step to the side as of course, this was all too odd, shoulder rubbing with the admired ex-President, in a room that actually had enough space not to shoulder rub. And to my astonishment, he followed! With his back straight, shoulder height fact-checking.
My parents and I with President Clinton, too many years ago... French Open in Paris
I do laugh about this and think to this day that it was a very cute moment. I still have the picture of that meeting hanging on my wall, my parents and I and President Clinton.
In my 5 minutes encounter with him, I absolutely understand why so many people adored him as a man and a politician. His charm is undeniable and I’m so happy he made me stand a little taller for a few minutes myself.
Something tells me I would not be saying the same thing about our current president.
Have a wonderful day off, watch Rachel Maddow's video, it's just weird and stay tuned for more on the T-Factor.
Smiling back at you,
MarieLine.
