A wardrobe of lives to try on

08 January 2012 - 02:14 By Paige Nick
A million miles from home
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MAYBE it's the whole new year, new beginnings thing that got me thinking about this, but I was wondering what it would be like to try out another life sometime? It would be like taking someone else's world and trying it on like a dress, just for a day, to see if it fits.

For example, I was wondering what it would feel like to be a man. I know most guys say that if they had a pair of boobs they would never leave the house. But they would have to get out there eventually; good bras don't grow on trees you know.

Having a penis would be a strange, but interesting experience. And who couldn't do with a set of balls in this life? One thing's for certain, if I got to be a guy for a day I'd want to travel around looking for events to attend. Things like rock concerts, movies, or sporting events, just so I could go out and not have to queue to get into the bathroom for once.

That would be awesome. And don't even get me started on how nice it would be to be able to pee standing up. You have no idea how good you've got it, guys. Although I promise ladies, when I'm a guy for a day, I will always put the seat down when I'm finished, it's simple common courtesy. (Hint, hint!)

I'd also like to try having sex like a guy for once, and by that I don't mean for it to only take seven minutes, and then fall asleep straight afterwards, I mean without all those pesky thoughts and feelings that get involved.

And while we're putting in orders, I wonder what it would be like to be rich? I'd like to try that life on for size for a day or two, complete with matching Louboutins, polo matches and a yacht.

I often tell myself I'd get bored if I didn't have to work, but I think that's just something non-rich people tell themselves to feel better about not being rich.

And the last life I'd really like to try out, ever so briefly, is being a dog or a cat for a day or two. As long as I'm not a dog or a cat in China or Japan; that wouldn't do.

It would be preferable if it was at a home in Sandton, or Camps Bay or somewhere like that. Some of my friends treat their pets like royalty, so it wouldn't be such a bad life: taking naps between naps, dragging my human out for a walk if I feel like it, using my sad puppy-dog eyes to guilt them into sharing their biltong with me; or using my cat brains to con them into letting the enemy dog out while it's raining.

Plus, if I was a dog or a cat, I'd be able to lick my own butt, and that has to be something of an experience.

Then, at the end of it all, once I've tried a bunch of different lives on for size, I think I'd like to return to just being me, a writer, living in Cape Town. Preferably one who stuffed a bunch of cash into her pockets while nobody was looking, when she was trying on the rich life.

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