To Willy Wonka, they are Oompa-Loompas. To Glinda the Good Witch of the North, they are Munchkins. To Saturday Night Live character Stefon, they are fun-sized. Who knows what would have become of Snow White if seven of them hadn’t decided to put her in a glass coffin.
Yes, this post is about the little people who prefer to be called Little People, and the month of October is their month.
The Mayo Clinic states, “Dwarfism is short stature that results from a genetic or medical condition. Dwarfism is generally defined as an adult height of 4 feet 10 inches (147 centimeters) or less.”
If you do not know any Little People, then you have likely seen at least one in a movie. Indeed, the most famous Little People acquired their fame through acting. The Internet Movie Database (IMDb.com) has a list of the top 30 Little People to have been in acting.
Their height does not mean that Little People have any mental issues or that they are bad people.
Granted, they can get into trouble. For example:
Willy Wonka really should give his employees a raise.
Anyway, if you have never before talked to a Little Person, then there is no need for you to be bashful. Talk to the person just like you would talk to an average-sized person. Just don’t be dopey while doing so. Little People will be happy if you refrain from using the “M” word to describe them. They tend to become grumpy when anyone uses that word.
An article from the Mayo Clinic Health Library describes some of the medical problems that Little People can experience as a result of their stature. So, Little People may have to see a doc more often than average-height people do.
The article states, “The average adult height among people with dwarfism is 4 feet (122 cm).” So, it would not be surprising if Little People are a bit more sneezy because their noses are closer to pollinating flowers.
I would write more about Little People, but I am becoming sleepy.
The preceding post is sponsored by Melmacian Cinema, now showing …
The “Wanted” posters say the following about David: “Wanted: A refugee from planet Melmac masquerading as a human. Loves cats. If seen, contact the Alien Task Force.”