tell me something about yourself..

when was the last time someone bothered to get to know you better? i can't remember the last time someone actually cared, aside from the superficial 'how are you doing?', 'what's up?' and 'you're sick? that's too bad'. questions all too casual, not searching for the lengthy rant that you may have building up inside, so please do not seriously consider answering with anything more than a smile and a 'great!'. nobody is really looking to break down walls.

some friends thought that i was very bored today. others thought i have joined the looney farm. i texted them with a "tell me something about yourself that i don't already know". the replies that i received were amusing, and frustrating, to say the least.


#1: what do you want to know? followed with some dings and dongs... but the question was not answered in the end

#2: errrr....like? anything?
i love sex. hahahahahaha. sigh. men!

#3: is this a trick question? :-) typical

#4: i'm actually indian and he is not an indian!!!

#5: what?! u gila? haha. sigh.

#6: she actually called me back!! why are you asking me that? are you too free? shall i find something for you to do?

#7: huh?...is it sms joke? is it at all funny?!

#8: i'm straight. *raise eyebrow* it's actually worrying that he thought i didn't know that.

#9: what a 'cute' question. ok since u asked...i am bow-legged. the first straight answer i received *grins*

#10: who is this? sigh.

#11: i have two mole at the sole of my right foot. am i telling you too much? ahhhh, my second straight answer.

#12: huh??
followed by err..err..err.. hopeless

#13: 1 am 71.5kg now. another fact, at the very least.

#14: im retiring from playing football..boo hoo another person with great faith...


it is said that what you choose to tell, what subject matter you want to reveal perhaps speak more of the person than what they are revealing. that is too deep for me to comprehend. what i can glimpse maybe is the wariness of people. a classic defense, to answer a question with a question. to know the what, where, why, when and how before jumping in or in this case, not even daring to stick your tiny toe in. jokes to deflect the attention. granted, it sounded more like a trick question, appearing from out of the blue with no indication of how it arose. people became naturally suspicious, naturally wary, even from a source regarded as friendly. i had written off people as being walled up, private and cold before this. i expected answers ranging from the cynical 'is this a joke?' to the subtly impatient 'are you crazy?' i never really expected anyone to tell me something straight about themselves. not that it's a difficult question to answer, mind you, a simple 'i can eat chicken rice everyday without getting bored' would have been sufficient but people are generally very reluctant to open up and reveal anything about themselves, afraid of exposing themselves, afraid of being vulnerable.

of the 14 people, 5 ended up telling me something about themselves. perhaps human relationships are not as dire as i imagined it to be. mostly general lesser known facts and details of no consequences but still, a sign of faith. one, in particular, told me something personal about himself that not many others know. for that trust, for letting down his walls, i thank him. trust is something gathered over time. to ask these people to reveal a little part of themselves over a short text message is perhaps unfair. to have faith, to trust and to furnish a reply in return is the missing puzzle that solve the mystery of true friendship. out of the 14, only 2 asked me the same question in reciprocation. i answered both.

why are we so afraid to reveal? what can you tell me about yourself?

i would have loved to sit down and chat with each and every of you, to get to know you a little more, to understand and to listen but i know that neither time nor opportunity will grant me that. for those who trusted, for those who opened, thank you.