What It Means To Be Super

Russell Peters

Hi! I'm Russell. Okay, maybe I'm not the strongest kid on the block. Or the smartest. Or the coolest. Actually, I'm probably the nerdiest. I'm in love with History and science fiction. Aliens? Totally! Bring on the Zombie invasion!

I don't know why I'm labeled a nerd. No friends? Check. A broken family? Check. Uncool clothes? Check. No athletic ability? Double check. I mean, I'm not overweight. I'm just pretty clumsy and altogether unathletic. How is that my fault?

I have brown hair, green eyes, and I'm average height. Nothing special. Nothing cool. Just your average boy-next-door. Just a bit geekier.

When I was 10, I was found climbing a tree. Why? Who knows. I was put into social service's hands and--what do you know?--drug addicts adopted me. How they got past the paperwork and drug tests is beyond me, but they figured it out.

My life's been pretty rough since then. But I've learned to live through it. I guess I can be tough when I need to. But I'm no hero. I can't save anyone--let alone myself.

I've got deep secrets with my family. And once a month my social worker checks up on me and my family. That's when we play Perfect Family. I hate it so much. Jill and Jim force me to call them Mom and Dad and I have to smile and hug them. It's terribly horrid.

I don't like my family-- and that's all I'm going say about that.

I'm not very special or talented...but not everyone can be, right?