My Mum used to call me Why-Bird. This referred both to my favourite character on Playdays and to the fact that I was constantly asking questions. Why does it rain? What makes rainbows happen? Are snails born with shells? And of course, where do babies come from?
My Dad came back from working away from home once to discover my new habit of 'giving birth' around the house, and the mother of one of the girls at school was not happy when I informed her daughter that babies did not, in fact, come out of your belly button. Urgh! What a disgusting thought. I was quite right to nip that one in the bud.
It's not just that I am curious about lots of things but I like to hear people speak about things that they are passionate about. I want what they have in manner of toddler grabbing a shiny new toy. Which I think is what makes me a good student. It is irrelevant whether or not I have a natural talent for a subject. I just enjoy receiving well-loved knowledge and asking questions.
I love that beautiful dawning comprehension as something is explained to you. The most satisfaction I've ever got out of a book was one I didn't really understand: How to build a time machine. It was pretty much what it says on the tin, a discussion about whether time travel would be possible. And I almost understood it.
What I mean is that when I was reading it, it made sense, despite it being rather beyond the GCSE physics that I had almost forgotten. However, as soon as I tried to explain it to anyone else I was lost and had to go back to the book again to reaffirm my newly discovered genius. Wow! I totally get physics...for at least three minutes after reading.
You know, it's nice to have discussions. Not only do I like guzzling up delicious information, I'm also something of a show-off and am very happy to tell you about it. I like to be right, whether that means arguing my point or making myself right by filling in gaps.
However, I do not like answering questions that I do not benefit from. That is questions about things that maybe I should know, or should find out, but that I'm not interested in.
Giving directions is fine. Because I have such a terrible sense or direction I get really excited when I do know the way. It's like I'm getting full marks in a surprise test.
Taking orders and bookings are not so good for me because for a start I have no concept of time so I can't answer that kind of question well. No matter how many times someone tells my something happens at 6.45, I cannot keep that number in my head so the information attached to it also disappears. The same applies to money. No matter how hard I try to keep a track on it (and I must admit I don't try very hard) I can't work out how value and price is worked out. So I can't answer your questions.
So I'm terrible for giving practical and immediately useful information. Ask me about Shakespeare though and I'm all over it.
This is why I'm running away to Italy. To stuff my head full of art and history and language, and my belly full of pasta. All delicious. I'll be late all the time and spend all my money. But it my birthday present to myself so that's OK.
And then having spent all my time and money maybe I'll return with a new appreciation of it.
Nah! I'll just tell you about my lovely holiday instead and ask you why the sky is blue.
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