Clumsy, Pure, and Unloved
Language: en
Nicknames littered my childhood. Clumsy. Space cadet. Social disaster. My best friend and girlfriend claimed they were affectionate, reserved for those who loved me most. During a quarterly presentation, my girlfriend called me "Clumsy" before the whole office. Laughter erupted; the director frowned. My face burned as I stumbled through the slides. My friend just ruffled my hair. "Don't mind her. You are a bit slow." On a retreat, she mocked my nervous stutter. He laughed hardest, adding, "Stop, she's sensitive," even as he saved a video of it to his favorites. Last week, I closed a…