mE.. Me?.. ME!!!

I'm in the midst of writing some stories on 'gifted children'. By the way, do you know that I'm gifted? Heheh.. Betul.. tak tipu.. :-)

Thanks to mama, I started reading those Ladybird 'I am Jane, he is John' books when I was three. By five, I was already reading my own Nancy and Brenda Starr comics kat Malay Mail, while at six, I started reading Enid Blyton. I could still remember my first Enid Blyton book: Bimbo and Topsy. By 12, I've finished reading almost ALL of Enid Blyton's books (I even wrote to her when I was 9, thinking she was still alive. But what I got was a letter from someone who's managing her fan club, telling me that Ms Blyton died some years back. And yes, I even got a 'I am an Enid Blyton fan' button badge), including those Malory Towers series, the Famous Five stories and the Secret Seven adventures..

When I completed kindergarten, my principal, Mrs Chew (I think) suggested to my parents that I be sent to Standard Three straight. Why bother gi Standard One and Two when I can already read and count?

But thanks to my thoughtful parents, I went to Standard One jugak. And I'm glad I did.. cuz can you imagine being friends with your classmates who are two years OLDER? They must think I'm such a freak, kan? Oh.. at Standard One, I 'fell in love' with my cute classmate 'Ai*nor Ha*kim' and he became my FIRST boyfriend.. So I'm glad I didn't skip 'levels'.. ;-)

So yes, I was kinda 'gifted'. Well.. not really, really gifted lah.. but I'm blessed with brains yang tak memerlukan I to study so much. While most of my friends have to study weeks before the exam, I usually start two or three days before the exam. Even worse, sometimes, I buka buku the night before the exam, and I'd still pass the exams. Hmm.. thank you God, for that.

But He is fair, kan? While I don't have to study as hard as my friends, He gave me something else. I was diagnosed with thoraco-lumbar scoliosis at the age of 13. Can you imagine.. masa all my friends tengah belajar cara nak mencantikkan diri, I found myself looking like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. The double-curvature of my spine made me bongkok giler.. my hips are lopsided and nothing I wear will ever look straight on me.

So yeah.. I 'cacat'. I'm actually classified as 'orang kurang upaya' or disabled. And yes, I'm supposed to register with the Social Welfare Department and inform them of my spinal deformity. Sigh. Maybe I should register kan?

So tu lah cerita ku. All this 'gifted children' thingy is making me think of my past. Sigh. If only I had used my brains properly, I'd probably be doing something else right now, kan?

Hmmm........... Would you trade good looks for good brains? I've always wondered what it's like being beautiful and having lots of admirers. Even kat sekolah, I never wanted to be smart. I just wanted to be pretty.. Am I wrong for feeling that way? For wanting to be beautiful and admired? Sigh..