On Friday evening, I flew back to New York to spend the weekend with my parents and sister. As I opened the door, Mom hugged me, but I noticed her red eyes.
"Mom, what is going on?"
"Stella is crying in her room. She'll tell you the whole story."
I knocked softly on my sister's door, "Stella, it's me. Please let me in."
There was no response.
I knocked harder, "Please sis, I love you and want to help."
She opened the door a few seconds later. Tears poured from her eyes like small streams.
I kissed her forehead and hugged her. I tried to make her laugh and joked, "What is it? Did Mom hit you? I'll beat her up."
She smiled and pressed her body into me, "Silly goose. It's again my height. It destroys everything in my life. Why did god have to punish me?"
...
Here is the place to tell you about my family. My mother, Martha, is 5'5" and weighs around 140 pounds. My father is 6'4" and weighs 240 pounds. In his college years, he used to play on the basketball team. Since then, he gained weight, and now, at age 48 he enjoys watching games on TV. Mom is shorter than Dad by almost a foot. However, at home she is the real boss.
Mom brought me into the world 2 years after they've been married. I got my father's genes and became tall too. By now, at age 20 I am already 6'8" and weigh 210 pounds. Like my father, I got a full scholarship to UCLA because of my abilities on the basketball court.
Two years after I was born, my sister Stella arrived. One time Mom confided in me that she told Dad she hoped their daughter would look like her and not as tall as him. Dad smirked, "You can be my boss, but I doubt you can order god to make it happen." As it happened, god didn't listen, and Stella was also destined to be tall. She was now 18 years old, 6'2" and 162 pounds.
My growth spurt began around age 15, and I never stopped growing since. Stella's gaining height was more gradual, and already in high school she was taller than most classmates, including the boys. While it helped her playing basketball, it was a disaster finding a boyfriend. Her face was cute, her body was proportional, and she was smart and funny. But being very tall alienated guys.
She hoped that starting college would change her luck. Like me she registered to UCLA and got accepted.
...
She was crying in her room after her latest disappointment: A guy, 6'1", asked her for a date. She agreed and met him at Starbucks. After the introduction, he told her she was very pretty. She thanked him. Then Stella asked him for his interests. He answered: Traveling, taking pictures of naked ladies, and then fuck them. She thought he was joking; who would say something like that to a girl on their first date?! It turned out he was serious and expected the Starbucks-outing to end up in bed. She left soon after, feeling every man was either intimidated by her tall stature or a jerk.
I sat with her, tenderly caressed her shoulder, and said, "Sis, being tall can be a blessing and a curse. Being on a plane or a bus is a torture, and looking for the right size clothes or shoes is not easy. Many girls claim they rate a guy's attractiveness by his height, but this is a double edged sword. Most girls I dated were 5'4" to 5'8", and they admitted the man's preferred height is 6'0" to 6'3". I was TOO tall for them. Even though each one of these girls was attractive, being that much taller than them was a logistical nightmare. And finding a tall woman is not easy. I've met 2 who were 5'11" and 6'1", respectively. However, neither one was attractive, and except for talking about basketball, we had nothing in common."
Stella gazed into my eyes and mumbled, "We face similar dilemma. If we weren't brother and sister, perhaps we would date each other..."
I smiled, "Girl, I always thought you were pretty, and your athletic body beautiful. However, god chose to create us as siblings, telling us that it would be a sin."
She grinned bitterly, "I guess you are right. I recall when we were younger I followed you around the house and tried to make you pay attention to me. I admired the ground you walked on."
I joked, "It sounds awful. What you are actually saying is that now you do not respect me anymore. I better go to my room and cry like you..."
She giggled, "Johnny, I love you just like before, but I learned that following and annoying you won't make you notice me in a positive way. It's the opposite; you may attempt to avoid me."
"Are you kidding me? These days I like your presence. The last time I was annoyed and upset with you was when you were in 7th grade. I don't know if you remember, but you had 2 girlfriends in your room and made too much noise. I was trying to study for an exam the next day, and you girls sang loudly, screamed, and laughed outside my door. I asked you nicely to be quiet. Your silence lasted less than 2 minutes before becoming vocal again. I was furious, and Dad allowed me to use his room until your friends left."
"Was it by chance just before Easter, when Jane and Lucy were with me?"
"Exactly."
"Before you entered my room, we discussed hot guys. You are right, we were enthusiastic about the subject and didn't agree on a guy. Then YOU entered and were very polite. When you left the room, Lucy commented that you were hot. For a change, all 3 of us agreed that you were a hunk and started laughing."
"I was only in the first year of high school..."
"I knew even before that other girls found you good-looking."
"How come it's 'other girls?' YOU disagree with them?"
Stella blushed, "I don't, but unlike them, I think you are a moron."
I glanced at her, "Why would you think so? Have I ever purposely done something to hurt or offend you?"
Her face turned ruby-red, "Your scores at school are good, and your skills on the basketball court are excellent but emotionally, you are below par."
"Why would you say that?"
She stared into my confused face and started crying again, "Please, leave me alone. I am not in the mood."
I left her and went to my room, frustrated. My intentions were pure, but somehow I managed to screw up everything, and I had no idea what I did wrong.
During dinner, our parents tried unsuccessfully to cheer her up. Any time one of us talked to her or asked her a question, she would give a non look one word answer.
When the dinner was over, I kissed Mom's cheek, thanked her for the tasty meal, and went to my room.