Everyone's Different

About the author: Alan Badmington is a former police officer and lifelong stutterer from Wales, UK. He is a successful figure in the public speaking clubs of England and Wales and regularly addresses diverse community organisations in an attempt to increase public awareness about stuttering. He has also given talks to trainee SLPs, as well as undertaking presentations at NSA and BSA events. He was a keynote speaker at the 7th World Congress for People Who Stutter in Australia in February 2004, where he also won the Oratory Competition. His television, radio and newspaper interviews have further brought stuttering to the fore. Alan has contributed a chapter to John Harrison's book, 'How to conquer your fears of speaking before people'. His work has been reproduced in NSA/BSA publications and on the major stuttering-related websites. Alan is joint owner of Stutteringchat, the world's largest Internet group for persons who stutter. Email: alan@highfieldstile.fsnet.co.uk


EVERYONE'S DIFFERENT

Text by Alan Badmington
from Wales

Listen to Alan read "Everyone's Different"

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Laura has freckles, Nina has spots
Dominic's fingers are longer than Scott's
Barbara is skinny, Lorna is fat
Daddy has whiskers as long as a cat

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Brad is athletic and runs like the wind
Toby is awkward and undisciplined
Grandma has wrinkles and silver-grey hair
Granddad is balding and sleeps in the chair
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Clarice is pretty, delightful and sweet
Robert's good looking, but has smelly feet
John's a musician and plays a bassoon
Will has a keyboard but sings out of tune
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Martin has black skin, Hayley is white
Charlotte is gentle, Dan loves a fight
Susan has blue eyes, Judy's are green
Rachel's are brownish, the largest I've seen
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Vicky is cheerful, Angie is glum
Cher looks like Daddy, I look like Mum
Amy has blonde hair, Gina's is red
Claire is well-nourished, Dave's underfed
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Bill is ambitious and works hard at school
Alex is lazy but thinks he is cool
Jason is boring, Bonnie is fun
She brightens a party, like rays from the sun
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Calvin has short legs, Wanda is tall
Jerry is bigger, but smaller than Paul
Jane is a good girl, as everyone knows
Joey's a naughty boy, Jack picks his nose
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Paula's left-handed, Sophie is right
Wendy wears glasses to help with her sight
Brenda is thoughtful, Kramer's uncaring
Harvey is cautious, Tracey is daring
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Things would be dull if our lives were the same
With identical clothing and same-sounding name
If we shared the same interests and musical choice
If we had the same accents, and similar voice
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My father's a brother, an uncle, a son
So many identities rolled into one
Everyone's different, we're all quite unique
The way that we look and the way that we speak
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Our troubles, our talents, the way that we think
The way that we laugh, and the way that we blink
It's great that we differ, it adds to our worth
There's no-one quite like us, elsewhere on this earth
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Sometimes when I'm speaking, the words cease to flow
My speech becomes bumpy, uncertain and slow
At times I talk smoothly - at times I do not
It's just that I'm different, yes different! -- SO WHAT?

© 2004 Alan Badmington, all rights reserved