Okay, Listen Here

Okay, Listen Here

Monday, April 16, 2012

Superpowers

I was a comic book reader as a child, but not cool comics like they buy on The Big Bang Theory about guys with superpowers. Oh, no. No Superman, Marvel, etc. and whatever. I read Dennis the Menace, Archie, Richie Rich, and Casper the Friendly Ghost.

Of course, now that I think about it, Caspar did have sort of a superpower, even if he did have to die to get it. He could fly.

If I could pick a superpower, that would be it. I'd fly all over the place. Also, the Ghostly Trio could scare somebody by just saying, "Boo"--I mean to the point that people begged them not to boo. That was pretty super and wouldn't be a bad ability to have.

But no flying for me, except in an airplane. No booing that does any good at keeping annoying people away from me.

What I can do is tell when somebody is lying. I swear, it's like a sixth sense. I wish I didn't have this ability, due to the staggering number of people who lie.

I've always been able to do it, but I have a vivid memory of the first time I became acutely aware of it. I was sixteen and my high school boyfriend told me he'd had sex with his next door neighbor's granddaughter. Now, this had supposedly occurred before he met me, so that wasn't an issue. But I knew he was lying, though there was no good reason for me to not believe him. I didn't even know the girl in question. Later, in a fit of repentance, he admitted it. All I thought was, "Well, I knew that."

And it has happened over and over again all my life. Someone will say something—and most of the time it's something small that makes no difference—and this little ping will go off in my head. Often, (often enough that it has taught me to trust my instinct) I find out for sure that they've lied because they trip themselves up.

Too bad there's no money in this. Flying would be way better. Or booing.

Oh, and by the way, The Guy never lies. I mean never. He doesn't even know how. That's probably why I let him pick me.

What superpower do you have? What superpower to you wish you had?

18 comments:

  1. Oh, Jean, I so wish I could fly! I have flying dreams, and they are the absolute best. I wake up feeling ecstatic; that's the only way to describe it.

    If I have a superpower, I guess it would be . . . instinct, maybe. Or a sort of precognition. When there's a situation brewing and I feel a click in my gut that says "this is what really happened" and is almost always proven right. Or I'll KNOW something is going to happen, and it does. Sometimes it's heartbreaking. I had a premonition for two weeks before my sister died that it was going to happen, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. It's evidently genetic because my niece had the same premonition. We were sick with dread, and helplessness. That train was coming down the track and there was nothing we could do to stop it.

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    1. Oh Maven Linda, so sorry about your sister. I have had those premonitions too and it is heartbreaking.

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    2. I have those dreams too. I never crash and I don't flap my arms to fly. It's more like a Peter Pan fly, apart from not holding hands with Wendy.

      I don't envy you the premonitions. I have never had one--at least I don't think I have. Occasionally, for no good reason I will do something like opt to ride with The Guy to run a quick errand
      text Precious Angel to tell him to be careful diving. Do those things make a difference or am I just being a worry wart. Probably the latter because I am good at that.

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  2. I would like to be able to read minds when I choose. Sometimes I would really like to know what others are actually thinking while they are talking out of the side of the mouths.

    I do have a sort of second sight. When I meet someone I either instantly like or dislike the person. I usually hide the dislike pretty well but there is something about the person which nags at me. Eventually the person will show his/her true colors and justify that I had a reason for disliking the person. I do give the person a chance to prove me wrong but I have never been wrong about my snap judgment. Never. It bothers those that are close to me because they keep telling me not to be so quick to judge. BUT it never fails to amaze them that I am proven right every time.

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    1. Oh and Maven Linda is right: these senses seem to be genetic. My sister does the same thing as me. She also agrees with me about people if we meet them at the same time. Odd.

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    2. There is a reason that smart people should trust their first instinct. But it is a tough call when you believe in giving everyone a fair chance.

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  3. Like Linda H, I have flying dreams and love them. That would be a very cool superpower. Sadly, I do not have a super power. My instincts are OK, but nothing to write home about. I can't tell when people are lying, unless it's my sister who always purses her lips immediately after telling a lie. (She's been doing this since she was old enough to talk) If I could pick a superpower, I'd choose flying. And a super duper metabolism. :-) -- LJ

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    1. Oh, yes. Super metabolism. I am reading a YA called the "Magnolia League". It's about Savannah debutantes by Katie Crouch who practice magic. These girls have hummingbirds who are linked to their establishment, so not only are they skinny, they have to eat like there is no tomorrow.

      What a fantasy! And the book is really good.

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    2. Super duper metabolism isn't one I had ever thought of but I think it would be great!

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  4. I listen closely to my instincts, as they have saved me many times from inconvenience or getting entwined with someone that is not of the best reputation. Like Linda H and LJ, I'd love to fly -- I've watched birds soaring and playing in thermal updrafts and so wish I could join them. How freeing that would be! I also have pretty good hearing and can detect slight changes in the pitch and rhythm of engines and motors, preventing major repairs before they happen, at least in the vehicles we own. Does that count as a superpower?

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  5. I'd be Spiderwoman. I'd love to try that swinging from one building to another.

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    1. Being clumsy, I can relate to that. I once fell of the balance beam when I was a junior in high school Spiderwoman would never have done that.

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  6. Like Betty, I can hear things. It drives me nuts when I hear parts going wrong on my car because I have yet to find the mechanic that has that same hearing-power...they all wait until its completely broken for proof. Sigh. And like LJ, I'd LOVE me some metabolism-superness! Flying ....yep, I'd like that one too.

    What I do have is a super-observation-power that I often wish I did not have. I see things. Sometimes it's things I wish I hadn't seen. More often it's something that puts me at ease or keeps me safe. I think my kids have it, and Sister has it, too. Apparently we can communicate with it as well. Clair shushed Sister and I all over Vienna...she said we were too loud when we spoke with our expressions...?

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    1. Yeah. I told my niece yesterday that she and my sister are too perceptive and intuitive for their own good.

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  7. Hmmmm... Jean's going to get on to me because I always want to say, heal people, when it comes to superpowers. Jean says, your superpower has to be something that benefits you. Well, I would love to heal people. LOL!

    Okay, so if I couldn't, I'd want to... have speed or strength, then I could... you guessed it, heal people. ;)

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  8. Jean already knows this but I wish my super power was Read Minds. I think it would work sorta like X-ray vision, you wouldn't always have it on just when you needed it. I would only use my powers for good. lol

    I don't have any super powers. I can see where they would be a burden if it wasn't the one you wanted.

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