Going Without

I am almost certain we have all done it at one point or another. My experience may not have been as intense as the next guy's, but regardless of the details, we have all likely "gone without".

I try not to bring up mine up all the time; not everyone cares, I don't mean to sound like I am complaining and regardless of the topic, there are only so many times one can hear the same stories with only a few details I forgot to throw in during the first round. Be considerate. Golden Rule.

I also try not to one-up anyone (about anything, really) / invalidate their feelings/hardships/emotions. Just because you don't have a hard time driving to the next town over doesn't mean I don't. And Just because I have a hard time with that doesn't mean I also have a hard time with everything else you do. More often than not, if I have a hard time with something that the population at large does not, I will have an easy time with something they find impossible to accomplish. This or that. Yin and Yang.

That is why I found it downright laughable when, during a social gathering, I heard some man shove this topic into a conversation:

"I don't own a bed."

First of all, this must have been for my benefit and mine alone, as everyone else in the circle knew the aforementioned bragger very well, and - judging by his accelerated need to scream this from the tallest mountain top - probably already knew this incredibly amazing fact about him.

"Oh, cool."

I said, in an attempt to regain the story I was in the middle of (rude). I began to retry the sentence I had gotten cut off from when I was once more denied. This is where I decide to give up and shift gears; clearly this man needed attention. And not just attention, but specifically the kind that would acknowledge his heroism in a life less complicated. This guy doesn't need a bed. Man. So brave. So tough. He's like a New Age Siddhartha. 

What is it with these people? This population of beings who insist on inserting themselves (and all of their CRAZY QUIRKS *fanfare*) into literally anyone else's day/life/conversation? These people who need so badly to be unusual - nay - remarkable. Really something. The crowd who will search for any reaction of caliber - and aggressively, at that. I just imagine these people storming into buildings of assorted profession, kicking down doors and elbowing past strangers only to say, in elevated voices:

"I HAVEN'T WATCHED GAME OF THRONES."

They are the same people who come into my second job and speak to "themselves" in loud enough voices for all those around them to enjoy. Have they watched too many movies? Do they think that the only way to start a conversation and make friends (or more) is to have someone overhear them and laugh hysterically at how clever they are? Or to have someone understand their obscure Doctor Who reference? These are the people who quote witty people to feign being witty people. I wish I could just tell these individuals to "relax". And maybe that "being authentic is so much better, cooler and surely the way to an increased quality of interaction". How stressful it must be to so in-character all of the time.

What is this phenomenon? How did it begin, and how can I make it stop?

I'm not knocking not owning a bed. I've been there - my choice - went well enough. But don't hijack the conversation just to talk about it. I understand that what you're doing is out-of-the-ordinary. And I am not judging you for it. I am however judging you for your desperate need for attention for it. I almost want to give into these people and react with a

"WOWWWWW you don't own a WHAT?? STOP everything. I have NEVER heard of anyone EVER going without  bed. HOLY COW. I am SO privileged with my bed. Queen Lexx over here. Get a load of me. SHEESH. How DO you do it?"

But for the greater part of my adulthood, I would like to be able to look back and say that I was able to handle it with patience.

The best punchline to this story? He still owned a cellphone.

Moral of the story: do what you want because you want to do it and not because you want to get some kind of reaction/praise out of those around you.