“Drop the Stapler”
I was one of those kids who did the exact opposite of what they were told.
I liked the feeling of being rebellious — it made me feel different.
I only realised much later that I didn't have the risk appetite to be a rebel in the adult world.
Why are kids allowed to be rebels and still accepted for it?
Is it in the hope that they will outgrow that phase?
One afternoon, I was doing some craft work and saw a stapler placed on the table.
I must’ve been 12.
I looked at the stapler, admiring its build and application.
I thought to myself — it wouldn’t be able to staple something as hard as my nail.
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So I tested it. On my thumb. With no hesitation whatsoever.
The next thing I remember is panic. Not because of the pain of the pin going into the nail bed — but because of showing my mom: “On today’s episode of hooliganism, your daughter presents something unseen.”
Hoping she would help me pull it out.
Yeah, I was that kid.
I only learnt by doing things myself. I hated being told what not to do.
But what changed?
Somewhere along the way, that instinct softened.
I started calculating, hesitating, avoiding.
Sometimes I wonder — is there a middle ground?
A place where I can still explore without needing to prove something…
and still have the courage to step into the unknown?
Thanks to Rebecca Makkai for the writing prompt on Substack.
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