I tend to think of myself as being a little strange.
But then again, we all have our little oddities that make us unique individuals in a world where we all just try to fit in and get along.
Last night I was sitting at a bar with one of my friends noshing on tortilla chips and handmade guacamole, when somehow the subject turned to my little idiosyncrasies.
I guess it had something to do with me telling the bartender that anything we order could not contain any cilantro, because I’m allergic to it. Of course, I’m not allergic to cilantro, I just can’t stand the taste. It’s my belief that if I say “I’m allergic to cilantro,” extra care will be taken to not put that horrible tasting herb in anything I’m going to consume.
“You’re allergic to cilantro?”
Shut up.
“I never heard of anyone being allergic to cilantro.”
Shut up.
“I hate cilantro too, so it’s no big deal, I just never heard of such a thing.”
Shut up.
“Why are you telling me to shut up.”
I’m not allergic, I just hate the stuff.
“You’re so weird.”
As I steered the conversation away from herbs I despise, the subject of sleep came up. Now I’m one of these people who have to sleep with some type of background noise. I confessed that every night before I jump in the sack, I turn a noisy fan on to drone out creepy silence.
“Oh my God! I have to sleep with a fan on!”
Shut up!
I sleep naked, too!
“You’re so weird.”
As we dove further into things she laughed at my “schedule” of where I go each night of the week and how my entire routine is thrown off when bowling night is cancelled or my Tuesday night restaurant is closed for vacation.
“Oh, and you need to lighten up when I’m late.”
I explained that there is nothing I hate more than someone who says, “meet me at 6:30” and they show up at 6:40. Even worse, canceling at the last minute.” When I have a conference call or in-person meeting scheduled, I give the other person a three-minute buffer. Three-minutes late and you need to reschedule with me.
Perhaps I do need to lighten up in this area, but why change now?
“I wasn’t late tonight.”
Yeah, but I did get here before you.
“Oh my God, you’re so weird.”
There are other things about me that some may find odd like only drinking beer if it’s served “on the rocks.” Or, the fact that I won’t use a public restroom, not even to pee. I won’t travel abroad as I have an intense fear of being murdered in a foreign country.
If it weren’t for these crazy little things we wouldn’t be “individuals.” Often times, I find that these unique traits attract me to a person. In fact, if I were to write a personal ad, it would probably go something like this:
“Pee shy male, 42 looking for a non-relationship with someone who shares a hatred for cilantro, is afraid of commitment, gets freaked out in a quiet house, sleeps in the nude and refuses to wear any form of underwear that has the word ‘boxer’ in it. Will meet only in public in case person answering this ad is the Craig’s List killer.”
You have to admit that you have some oddities of your own that you can rattle off. I’d be curious to see if you share some of mine… so go on, it’s time to dish out some of your own.