Kennedy brings up an interesting point: quiet people are some of the most misunderstood people out there. My neighbors and acquaintances have no idea what I can get up to. In so many minds, "quiet" equals "prude," and as the cousins can attest, this is not necessarily true. Something else they can attest to is the fact that this misconception can come in handy. Back when I was a teenager, all the parents considered me the good child. So well-behaved, so respectful. And anytime the girls wanted to go somewhere questionable, all it took was the mere mention of my name.
Parent: You want to go where? A video arcade? With all those weirdos?
Cousin: I just want to play some Pac-Man. (Yes, this was the 80s.)
Parent: Absolutely not!
Cousin: But Esmerelda is going.
Parent: Oh. (Pause) Well, then, all right. She'll keep you out of trouble.
Little did they know that as soon as we were dropped off, I was the one pointing out how much more fun we'd have going to the pizza parlor across the street, the one popular with the older high school boys. The boys who smoked and had fake I.D.s.
So yes, I may be quiet, but I'm still a diva.
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