Somehow the other day, I got to thinking about Mel Gibson. Not the Mel Gibson of the anti-Semitic slurs, but the young Mel Gibson who showed his bare butt in every film. That version of Mel Gibson I loved (and not just for his body) … until I watched What Women Want.
It didn’t live up to its potential. What a waste of a good idea! I felt he had jumped the shark with that one, and his work really went downhill after that.
Thinking about the movie got me thinking about what if someone really did have the superpower of being able to read minds.
I’d feel sorry if they got into mine. It bounces all over the place! Rather than being a soothing stroll in the park, viewing the sights, it’s a lot more like Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. I really love that ride at Disneyland. Well, I didn’t the first time, Ma assures me I was scared to death by all the things popping out at me in the near dark. Hmmmm … I wonder if it was the same trip where Ma took me on the tea cups and got our cup spinning so fast that I passed out.
See what I mean about my brain?
Ultimately, though, I think mind reading could be pretty boring. Heaven knows I was disappointed after my French got good enough for me to eavesdrop on conversations in that language. There were lots of little kids whining, and people planning what they want to see the next day. No good gossip, and not once were they ever talking about me! What’s the point of listening in if you don’t get to hear juicy stuff?
If I got to choose my superhero power, it would be flying, but only if no one else could. I have enough trouble driving where I’m only dealing in two planes. Adding a third would really hurt my brain. I remember being a little girl, probably kindergarten or first grade, when I got it in my head that I could fly. In the backyard I would run as fast as I could and then jump, getting into the Superman pose just before hitting the ground. Attempt after attempt, I would run and jump … and go thud. I was sure that if I could run fast enough and get in the right position, I would be airborne. I got bored before I figured it out.
What would be your super power? or Did you ever think you could fly?
Grown Up, Now What? 
Invisibility, hands down. Think of the possibilities!
I never believed I could fly, but I have an uncle who once jumped off a second-story terrace to impress a girl. He believed he was Superman and that he could fly. My Mother also had a period when she was a very small girl and claims there are photos to prove it.
Clearly, I have strange relatives. Or, we are a family of superheroes and I have not yet discovered my super power.
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How had I not considered invisibility?!?!?!? Or even walking through walls?!?!!?!
I am glad to know that I wasn’t the only one who thought they could fly, and I’m glad I wasn’t a dare devil jumping off of something higher than the ground to prove it!
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I always thought the ability to stop time would be FANTASTIC. I could catch up on my reading, cleaning, sleeping, all those DIYs I’d like to tackle, and studying (when I was still in school). If I was running late, I could just stop time and catch up. That would definitely be my superhero power of choice.
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I’m going to have to give back my geek card because I keep forgetting about all these cool superpower possibilities! Stopping time would be so cool, but it makes me wonder if I would then be aging faster than everyone else because I’m active when everyone else’s clock has stopped. Hmmmmmm. Would it be worth it to catch up? Most days my answer would be YES!
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Teleportation for me. Then I could just go anywhere in an instant. Boom, I’m in Paris or Wham I’m in Moscow. Yup, it would include those noises too.
Being able to read minds would be good up to a certain point. When you’re talking to someone you could hear what they really think about you. But you’re right about listening in on things. I imagine most thoughts are mundane. People just going about their lives. I never did see that Mel Gibson movie, but I have seen bits and pieces. It just didn’t seem my kind of movie.
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Steve, you didn’t miss anything by not seeing that movie. I wish I had that hour and a half of my life back!
Teleportation would be cool. Of course me being me, I’d be so afraid of where I might pop out – in a river, on top of someone. It’s make-believe, and I’m still worried about the technicalities of it! That is me in a nutshell!
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