I remember when I felt stupid. I'm used to being a person who is either on someone's level of intellect or above it; most times not above it, because how often do I talk about politics and science?


I remember in sixth form and in my class there was this girl called Reem. Oh my days! I felt so stupid around her. I felt like nothing I could ever do around her could have any significant value, not to say that it was worthless. She passed the course with three distinctions. I got two distinctions and a merit. My work would have to be improved at times. Her work was perfect. But that wasn't why I felt so intimidated around her. It was something else.


She had a very high level of social intelligence. I'm already an easy-to-read person, and a girl in my class said that it was easy to know how I would react to things. I remember in our Health and Social Care class when we did a task where we marked each other on how good we were at talking to each other, by asking each other simple questions. Everyone in the group gave her the best mark for everything. A teacher came back with a slight tan, and she noticed it. She didn't look tanned!


Another time we had free time, and she got cups of water and threw them at Laura, who didn't throw anything back. Reem is so good at social situations. Laura asked me if we should go outside [to get Reem wet], and I said "Yes if you want", to see what she would do without influence. I wish I could throw cups of water at people, and have them ask other people if they should go outside and get me wet. Laura decided not to go outside. How does Reem do that? She had a way of seemingly knowing what everyone was thinking at any one time.


To make it worse, she fills out the room. A room with her in it is never silent. She had a conversation with her teacher about his girlfriend. The most obscure observations about things around her come out of her mouth, like for example if a room had nice blinds in it. Everyone would listen to her say that.


So, as you can imagine, around this person, I felt stupid and that I could trip up at any time. She knew more than I did, what I was thinking, and could converse with people much better than I can. To put it in the best way I can, I felt like I was walking slowly backwards, not knowing where I was going or what I was doing. I felt like I could do something wrong at any time. And I liked her as well. Talking to this girl I felt scared. There's also a girl on Writers Cafe who I feel is smarter than me, but I'm not scared of that person.


So I think I know what it feels like to feel stupid. No maybe not. You'll never see me on a tv cooking show contest using a microwave.