I've been taller than most people I meet for most of my life. There was a brief spell when I was about 10-12 when other guys started to catch up or even take over, but then BANG ! Puberty took care of that. I've been 6' 5" since I was about 20- I guess that was when I finally stopped, as at was the first time in my life that I gained any weight in a short spell.

I don't give it a minute's thought usually, unless I see spmeone taller, which is rare. People joke about it, usually tolerably, sometimes not. The simple fact is, it has a massive impact on people's perception of me, but I have no clue. I don't feel uncomfortable with it, but I did as a teenager. I remember one day walking down the corridor outside the school library. There was a bunch of kids leaning on either wall, obviously looking for trouble. I just wanted to vanish, and stooped like a cripple- I was sick of aggro. Every day at school was like a fucking battle. It didn't work, but the stooping became habitual, until my Dad started to nag me out of it.

I've never made any conscious attempt to exploit it, though I'm aware of when it is advantageous- on stage, in class, when I'm angry. People are generally scared of 6'5 skinheads with a cob on. When I look back at a lot of the women I've fancied, they were often tall, though I didn't realise it then. It would be handy if I were the competitive type, but along with my Dad's lankiness, I seem to have inherited his mellow streak. It pisses me off occasionally, when I think about opportunities I've squandered, especially with women. My contrary streak has contributed to that as well. Suppose I'm not the only one.