If you would have asked me at age 12 if there was any part of my body that I would have liked to have changed I would have answered,
"my nose".
I have a very distinct nose and was I teased continuously for weeks by a random boy in the playground.
He would wait till I was alone after lunch and follow me around. At first he would say something nice and then he would tease me about my nose. He would say,
"Hey, can I ski down your nose?"
That's a very awkward position for a sixth grade student.
If I answer,
"Yeah, go on ahead."
Then he would take his finger and run it down my nose and punch me in the stomach. It would end with me running after him trying not to get caught by the teacher on duty.
If I answer,
"No, you can't go skiing on my nose."
Then he will just ask again and again with a little push and a shove. I had some fights in fifth grade and tried to be nonviolent in sixth grade but this kid was pushing his luck. He would follow me around whenever he had a chance and ask me if he could touch my nose.
I really couldn't stand be bothered about my nose. The kid had a lot of problems of his own. I could poke fun at him for any one of them, but I didn't think fighting would solve any of them. He just wanted me to run around chasing him. That wasn't my idea of a pleasant recess.
I solved the problem by switching lunch tables and joining the kickball group. I didn't want to play kick ball after lunch, but it was better than being followed by that kid everyday.
At home I looked in the mirror and I talked to my mom about it. She said it is the family nose and there really isn't much you can do about it.
The pudgy part at the end of the nose was too much for me. It was as if my nose had doorknob attached to it.
The bottom part divided into two and bothered me more. I know people have butt chins, but who has a butt nose? In my twenties I saw parts of the nose grow faster than other parts and leave the nose looking a little lopsided.
It doesn't help that my nose was broken twice. In the x-ray, the fracture line is still visible. The doctor says it is so slight that I should let it heal naturally. The problem is that the cartilage cracks every time I blow my nose or put a mask on. I thought about changing my nose and getting surgery even though my doctor advices against it.
The number one reason is that this is the nose I was born with. Although it is different it has its own special purpose in this world.
I began to realize this when I moved out of my ordinary surroundings. In America people see all kinds of noses and mine is just one of those noses, but when I moved to Korea people saw my nose in another light.
Some people would literally stare at my nose and say,
"You have a high nose."
"Your nose handsome."
I didn't even know a person can have a high nose. I just knew for twenty seconds I can get any Korean to look at me and hold their attention due to the structure of my nose. This can really be used to my advantage. It's kind of like a Jedi power.
"These are not the droids you are looking for."
Once I met a woman in her sixties and she looked at me and out of the blue asked me,
"Can I touch your nose?"
As an elementary school teacher I get this request from time to time. The last year or so I have had a mask over my nose so I haven't got much response about my nose. No one even sees it any more.
Although I would have chosen to have changed my nose as a teenager I am glad I kept it today and I'm looking forward to a day when I can go to school and teach English without a mask blocking my face.
I don't care anymore if someone want to "ski" down my nose. I'm love this nose that breaks me a breath of fresh air faithfully each day. The nose does know it's place in the world and for this twisted butt chin nose the place is the center of my face.
I haven't seen a twelve string guitar in some time now.
